EWG - Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

The Environmental Working Group has provided a list of fruits and vegetables that is longer than the dirty dozen. For a copy of this list to carry in your wallet go to http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist-print.html

I'm going to keep posting about this issue. I know that a local deli that sells fruits and vegetables is not allowed to advertise their produce as pesticide free. That's because it isn't organic. Personally, if I can't get organic I'd like to know I'm getting pesticide free produce. I'm tired of being prevented from being healthy at every turn. Why do I have to eat GMO foods? By making an effort to be healthy am I not making an effort not to be a burden on the health care system? Why do I feel that my efforts are being squashed by governments who don't seem to care about this issue, and allow GMO seeds??


The chart below is read by highest number, the fruit or vegetable and the score.

RANK FRUIT OR VEGGIE SCORE
1 (worst) Peach 100 (highest pesticide load)
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 (best) Onion 1 (lowest pesticide load)


Note: EWG ranked a total of 47 different fruits and vegetables but grapes are listed twice because EWG looked at both domestic and imported samples.

replacing fat in cooking

Fig (dried)
• Nutritional value (2 dried figs): 42 calories, 1.5 g fibre, source of potassium, calcium and iron
• Disease-fighting factor: High in fibre, figs may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Did you know? Puréed figs make an excellent substitute for fat (like butter or oil) in baked goods. Simply purée 1 cup (250 mL) of dried figs with 1/4 cup (50 mL) of water, then replace half of the fat called for in the recipe with an equal amount of the fig mixture.

(Canadian Living March 2008)

Defending Our Local Food

http://www.iccbc.ca/


Defending our Backyard Local Food Festival is presented by the Island Chefs' Collaborative. The Local Food Festival is a celebration of Vancouver Islands' food and the people that bring it to us. A combination tasting and educational event. Taste, talk, learn, and discover at Fort Rodd Hill on May 31. Call 250.388.4517

Not one of the herd...

NEW YORK (AFP) - A brown cow who refused to die made a successful bolt from a New York slaughterhouse and looks set to spend the rest of her days in clover, reports said Thursday.

The condemned bovine, identified as Molly by the New York Post, fled her executioner on Wednesday, leading police and a butcher on a wild cow chase through the neighborhood of Queens.

Dodging traffic and a stunned onlookers, Molly was eventually subdued by police using a tranquilizer gun and a lasso, the Daily News reported.

She is now headed for an animal sanctuary, the newspaper sa

more on food matters

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