Are you a strawberry lover? One of my good friends is a strawberry lover and sent me a text message asking if I knew where to find the best organic strawberries.
She was asking because strawberries are the #1 food on the Dirty Dozen list.
Do you know about this list?
It’s created and published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit company that has our consumer health in mind. Each year they publish the Dirty Dozen, a list of fruits and veggies that have been tested and found to have the highest amounts of pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides – chemicals used while growing our food.
We certainly don’t want these babies ending up in our desserts!
Check out these 5 ways chemicals get into our food.
Why is this so important?
When we eat, our bodies break down the food and grab the nutrients so that we can function, have energy, fight illness. As the food breaks down, it circulates through our bodies. It goes through our mouth and throat, into our stomach and digestive track, into our blood stream and throughout our body.
Chemicals that are in the food also get circulated throughout our body through that same process.
These chemicals have been found to cause some really shitty health effects.
As you may know, chemical sensitivities and MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) are among them. There are over 140 other health conditions, too.
Our cells are getting damaged by these chemicals in our food (and clothes, household items, building materials, personal care products, furniture).
I certainly don’t want you to be sick!
So, what’s the easiest way to know if the strawberries, or other food, are organic?
Simple solutions to start doing TODAY!
Simple tip #1.
Look for the USDA Certified Organic logo.
Now, the USDA has various certifications that mean different things.
For example, “Made with Organic” means that 70% of the ingredients are certified organic. These items will NOT have the USDA Organic logo on them. Food that says “Organic Ingredients” are also NOT eligible for the USDA Organic logo.[1]
Only foods with 95%-100% organic ingredients and processing are allowed to have the USDA Organic seal.
That means the food is grown and processed organically (from seeds to harvest), made with approved substances (no chemical fillers, flavors, enhancers unless no organic alternative is available), and are USDA verified that they are organic.[2]
Simple tip #2.
Buy organic food that is unpackaged or packaged in glass containers.
Strawberries might come in wooden baskets or in bulk bins, just like other fruits and veggies found in stores or farmers markets. Check to be sure that the food is organic first, then check the packaging and opt for bulk or glass packaged.
Simple tip #3.
Grab food that is locally grown, too!
Locally grown means less travel time, less heating of food and packaging during days with hot transport, less vehicle exhaust that the food is exposed to. Plus, the food is fresher – bonus!
So, look for organic, unpackaged, locally grown.
Simple tip #4.
Shop at health conscious stores or straight from the organic farm.
Maybe there is an organic strawberry farm or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) near you. Places that sell large amounts (or all) organic food typically use natural or chemical-free cleaners as well. That way, your food doesn’t have chemicals from shelf sprays or cleaners either!
Putting it all together
Strawberries and 11 other fruits and veggies make the Dirty Dozen list each year, created and published by the EWG. These are the top 12 produce foods that have been tested and have the most chemicals in them. When we eat foods with chemicals, our digestive systems breakdown the food and chemicals and circulate them throughout our bodies.
These chemicals have been shown to cause chemical sensitivities, MCS and over 140 other medical conditions. I certainly don’t want you to be sick!
You can start doing 4 simple things today to start “cleaning up” your food. Following these for simple tips will lead you to the mac-daddy of foods that are: organic, unpackaged or packaged in glass, locally grown and fresh, AND…. come from health conscious stores or are straight from the organic farm.
Plus, they simply taste better!
I only want the best for you.
References
[1] https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicLabelsExplained.png
[2] https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/BehindTheUSDAOrganicSeal.png
