Today, it was Kashi Sunshine something cereal with fresh berries. I really heart these berries. So fresh and tasty, and they don't even need sugar.
Mmm, Breakfast
This is the one thing I wait for every spring. No, not breakfast...Strawberries to put on top of my breakfast.
Today, it was Kashi Sunshine something cereal with fresh berries. I really heart these berries. So fresh and tasty, and they don't even need sugar.
Today, it was Kashi Sunshine something cereal with fresh berries. I really heart these berries. So fresh and tasty, and they don't even need sugar.
Information about buying organic, pesticide levels
I gleaned this info from either Health magazine or Real Simple. RS had a great article a loooong time ago which included a list of what foods to eat every day in order to get your RDV's in per the Food Pyramid.
What to buy Organic
1. Apples
A is for apple — and a lot of pesticides. According to the Food and Drug Administration, more pesticides (a whopping 36) are found on apples than on any other fruit or vegetable. In one test, as many as seven chemicals were found on a single apple.
No organic? Peel your apples, and look for apples from New Zealand (it's noted on the little produce stickers), which are treated with half as many pesticides as those grown Stateside.
2. Baby Foods
"An infant's immune, nervous, and detoxification system is less developed than an adult's and more vulnerable to the effects of pesticides," says Elson M. Haas, M.D., author of The Staying Healthy Shopper's Guide (Celestial Arts, $10, www.amazon.com). The green beans, peaches, and apples that go into baby food (and all over your kitchen floor) tend to be treated with chemicals. Organic brands like Earth's Best are available.
No organic? Make your own purees by tossing organic fruits and vegetables into the blender.
3. Butter and Milk
The grains that dairy cows eat are heavily treated with chemicals, which have a residual, though still notable, presence in milk and dairy products. (Milk may also contain bovine growth hormone and antibiotics.)
4. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes often contain five of the longest-lasting chemicals, one of which is dieldrin, an exceedingly toxic and carcinogenic insecticide. Though it was banned in 1974, residues still persist in soils and are taken up through the cantaloupe's roots and absorbed into the edible portion.
No organic? Thoroughly wash the outside of the melon, since a knife can drag exterior residues through the flesh as you slice it.
5. Cucumbers
In a survey of 42 common vegetables, cucumbers were ranked second in cancer risk and 12th in "most contaminated food" by the Environmental Working Group, a respected public-interest group.
No organic? Peel the cucumbers, since the waxes used to make the skin shiny also tend to hold chemicals.
6. Grapes
Because grapes ripen quickly, tend to mold, and attract insects, growers hit them with multiple applications of various chemicals. The worst are Chilean grapes, which are treated with as many as 17 of them. (Ninety percent of the grapes eaten in the United States from January to April are Chilean.)
No organic? Buy grapes grown domestically; they are treated with fewer chemicals.
7. Green Beans
The Environmental Protection Agency has more than 60 pesticides registered for use on green beans.
No organic? Choose fresh beans over canned or frozen. Wash them well.
8. Spinach
In a certain cartoon, spinach makes muscles. In real life, the chemicals used to treat it may cause cancer or interfere with hormone production.
No organic? Vigilantly wash each leaf separately under running water.
9. Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most contaminated of all produce items in the United States.
No organic? Choose local berries over long-distance ones (there's less spraying). The package should say where they're from, or the supermarket's produce manager should know.
10. Winter Squash
Like cantaloupes and cucumbers, winter squash has a propensity to absorb dieldrin from the soil into its edible parts.
No organic? Buy Mexican. The soil in Mexico is largely uncontaminated by dieldrin.
Pesticide scores for fruits & vegetables, tested a couple years ago - a new list "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" are released every year, I believe, from the EWG (ewg.org)
RANK FRUIT OR VEGGIE SCORE
(1 would be the worst, with the highest pesticide load; 47 is the best, with the lowest pesticide load)
1 Peach 100
2 Apple 93
3 Sweet Bell Pepper 83
4 Celery 82
5 Nectarine 81
6 Strawberries 80
7 Cherries 73
8 Kale 69
9 Lettuce 67
10 Grapes - Imported 66
11 Carrot 63
12 Pear 63
13 Collard Greens 60
14 Spinach 58
15 Potato 56
16 Green Beans 53
17 Summer Squash 53
18 Pepper 51
19 Cucumber 50
20 Raspberries 46
21 Grapes - Domestic 44
22 Plum 44
23 Orange 44
24 Cauliflower 39
25 Tangerine 37
26 Mushrooms 36
27 Banana 34
28 Winter Squash 34
29 Cantaloupe 33
30 Cranberries 33
31 Honeydew Melon 30
32 Grapefruit 29
33 Sweet Potato 29
34 Tomato 29
35 Broccoli 28
36 Watermelon 26
37 Papaya 20
38 Eggplant 20
39 Cabbage 17
40 Kiwi 13
41 Sweet Peas - Frozen 10
42 Asparagus 10
43 Mango 9
44 Pineapple 7
45 Sweet Corn - Frozen 2
46 Avocado 1
47 Onion 1
What to buy Organic
1. Apples
A is for apple — and a lot of pesticides. According to the Food and Drug Administration, more pesticides (a whopping 36) are found on apples than on any other fruit or vegetable. In one test, as many as seven chemicals were found on a single apple.
No organic? Peel your apples, and look for apples from New Zealand (it's noted on the little produce stickers), which are treated with half as many pesticides as those grown Stateside.
2. Baby Foods
"An infant's immune, nervous, and detoxification system is less developed than an adult's and more vulnerable to the effects of pesticides," says Elson M. Haas, M.D., author of The Staying Healthy Shopper's Guide (Celestial Arts, $10, www.amazon.com). The green beans, peaches, and apples that go into baby food (and all over your kitchen floor) tend to be treated with chemicals. Organic brands like Earth's Best are available.
No organic? Make your own purees by tossing organic fruits and vegetables into the blender.
3. Butter and Milk
The grains that dairy cows eat are heavily treated with chemicals, which have a residual, though still notable, presence in milk and dairy products. (Milk may also contain bovine growth hormone and antibiotics.)
4. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes often contain five of the longest-lasting chemicals, one of which is dieldrin, an exceedingly toxic and carcinogenic insecticide. Though it was banned in 1974, residues still persist in soils and are taken up through the cantaloupe's roots and absorbed into the edible portion.
No organic? Thoroughly wash the outside of the melon, since a knife can drag exterior residues through the flesh as you slice it.
5. Cucumbers
In a survey of 42 common vegetables, cucumbers were ranked second in cancer risk and 12th in "most contaminated food" by the Environmental Working Group, a respected public-interest group.
No organic? Peel the cucumbers, since the waxes used to make the skin shiny also tend to hold chemicals.
6. Grapes
Because grapes ripen quickly, tend to mold, and attract insects, growers hit them with multiple applications of various chemicals. The worst are Chilean grapes, which are treated with as many as 17 of them. (Ninety percent of the grapes eaten in the United States from January to April are Chilean.)
No organic? Buy grapes grown domestically; they are treated with fewer chemicals.
7. Green Beans
The Environmental Protection Agency has more than 60 pesticides registered for use on green beans.
No organic? Choose fresh beans over canned or frozen. Wash them well.
8. Spinach
In a certain cartoon, spinach makes muscles. In real life, the chemicals used to treat it may cause cancer or interfere with hormone production.
No organic? Vigilantly wash each leaf separately under running water.
9. Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most contaminated of all produce items in the United States.
No organic? Choose local berries over long-distance ones (there's less spraying). The package should say where they're from, or the supermarket's produce manager should know.
10. Winter Squash
Like cantaloupes and cucumbers, winter squash has a propensity to absorb dieldrin from the soil into its edible parts.
No organic? Buy Mexican. The soil in Mexico is largely uncontaminated by dieldrin.
Pesticide scores for fruits & vegetables, tested a couple years ago - a new list "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" are released every year, I believe, from the EWG (ewg.org)
RANK FRUIT OR VEGGIE SCORE
(1 would be the worst, with the highest pesticide load; 47 is the best, with the lowest pesticide load)
1 Peach 100
2 Apple 93
3 Sweet Bell Pepper 83
4 Celery 82
5 Nectarine 81
6 Strawberries 80
7 Cherries 73
8 Kale 69
9 Lettuce 67
10 Grapes - Imported 66
11 Carrot 63
12 Pear 63
13 Collard Greens 60
14 Spinach 58
15 Potato 56
16 Green Beans 53
17 Summer Squash 53
18 Pepper 51
19 Cucumber 50
20 Raspberries 46
21 Grapes - Domestic 44
22 Plum 44
23 Orange 44
24 Cauliflower 39
25 Tangerine 37
26 Mushrooms 36
27 Banana 34
28 Winter Squash 34
29 Cantaloupe 33
30 Cranberries 33
31 Honeydew Melon 30
32 Grapefruit 29
33 Sweet Potato 29
34 Tomato 29
35 Broccoli 28
36 Watermelon 26
37 Papaya 20
38 Eggplant 20
39 Cabbage 17
40 Kiwi 13
41 Sweet Peas - Frozen 10
42 Asparagus 10
43 Mango 9
44 Pineapple 7
45 Sweet Corn - Frozen 2
46 Avocado 1
47 Onion 1
Post Numero Uno
Yesterday, I was reading a new blog started by one of my Nest acquaintances about getting healthy. She included a "before" pic, which was somewhat inspiring. I've been trying to shape myself up for some time now (I lost 12 lbs last year for my wedding, then gained it all back), and am thinking of different ways to do so.
I also have a lot of random lists/articles dealing with food and health, so I figured a blog about it might be a good idea, and help keep me accountable to people who don't know me but have seen the Platinum Ass. Yes, it's got its own nickname.
And also, I was walking the wieners this morning and saw a full-length mirror outside of my neighbour's house with "TAKE ME" written on it. It seems that the heavens aligned to kick my butt this week. I took it home and put it on my sunporch, and decided I'd take my "before" pictures.
So, without further adieu, here's me: (never mind the wieners, they're attention-dogs)
Wish me luck!
I also have a lot of random lists/articles dealing with food and health, so I figured a blog about it might be a good idea, and help keep me accountable to people who don't know me but have seen the Platinum Ass. Yes, it's got its own nickname.
And also, I was walking the wieners this morning and saw a full-length mirror outside of my neighbour's house with "TAKE ME" written on it. It seems that the heavens aligned to kick my butt this week. I took it home and put it on my sunporch, and decided I'd take my "before" pictures.
So, without further adieu, here's me: (never mind the wieners, they're attention-dogs)
Wish me luck!