Do you know what you are eating?

[Frozen Nibs]

I always look at the label of foods I buy... unfortunately, it takes too much time to try and assess what is good and not. I think the best is the 100mile diet consisting of items only available within this distance.
Tomatoes from mexico for example, are picked green and gased to produce their vibrant red colour. I try to avoid buying canned and anything grown in mexico if I am able to.

The same goes for strawberries from California. They spray them with methyl bromide...

Didn't know that... thanks! Guess that strikes strawberries from my grocery list from this moment on.

[daria]

That's why store bought strawberries give me hives. We grow them ourselves, so I can indulge without the spontaneous "mosquito" bites!

[gardengirl]

I always look at the label of foods I buy... unfortunately, it takes too much time to try and assess what is good and not. I think the best is the 100mile diet consisting of items only available within this distance.
Tomatoes from mexico for example, are picked green and gased to produce their vibrant red colour. I try to avoid buying canned and anything grown in mexico if I am able to.

The same goes for strawberries from California. They spray them with methyl bromide...

Didn't know that... thanks! Guess that strikes strawberries from my grocery list from this moment on.

Aw crap, I was enjoying those berries.

[Frozen Nibs]

I always look at the label of foods I buy... unfortunately, it takes too much time to try and assess what is good and not. I think the best is the 100mile diet consisting of items only available within this distance.
Tomatoes from mexico for example, are picked green and gased to produce their vibrant red colour. I try to avoid buying canned and anything grown in mexico if I am able to.

The same goes for strawberries from California. They spray them with methyl bromide...

Didn't know that... thanks! Guess that strikes strawberries from my grocery list from this moment on.

Aw crap, I was enjoying those berries.

Me too!

[Glacier]

*Bump*

Thought I'd post the entire list of which the "dirty dozen" is derived to show you which fruits and veggies have the most pesticides. Some things on this list are of no surprise. Onions require very little if any spraying, while potatoes, peaches, and strawberries are sprayed like crazy. The one that did surprise me was Kale (a favourite of my mom's) because I'd thought that one is the hardiest vegetable around. More details are provided through the links at the bottom.

The List
Rank Fruit or Veggie
1 (Best) Onions
2 Avocado
3 Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4 Pineapples
5 Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6 Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7 Asparagus
8 Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9 Cabbage
10 Eggplant
11 Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12 Watermelon
13 Grapefruit
14 Sweet Potatoes
15 Honeydew Melon
16 Plums (Domestic)
17 Cranberries
18 Winter Squash
19 Broccoli
20 Bananas
21 Tomatoes
22 Cauliflower
23 Cucumbers (Domestic)
24 Cantaloupe (Imported)
25 Grapes (Domestic)
26 Oranges
27 Red Raspberries
28 Hot Peppers
29 Green Beans (Imported)
30 Cucumbers (Imported)
31 Summer Squash
32 Plums (Imported)
33 Pears
34 Green Beans (Domestic)
35 Carrots
36 Blueberries (Imported)
37 Lettuce
38 Grapes (Imported)
39 Potatoes
40 Kale / Collard Greens
41 Cherries
42 Spinach
43 Sweet Bell Peppers
44 Nectarines
45 Blueberries (Domestic)
46 Apples
47 Strawberries
48 Peaches
49 (Worst) Celery

Summary: http://static.foodnews.org/pdf/2010-foodnews-data.pdf
More details: http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php

[Queen K]

My friend in Victoria is experimenting with Mango growing. He just harvested one and said it was NOTHING like store bought mangos, no fiberous strings, just pure fruity flesh and good tasting.

I miss my garden, if I had faith that our Okangan winters would not destroy a greenhouse I'd try it year round.

[grammafreddy]

I think there's some big wood-fired greenhouses out in Grand Forks ... if I remember rightly, they grow tomatoes. Do you know about them?

[Queen K]

Wood fired greenhouses? There is the ultimate in autonomy. Haven't any clue about them or where they are but sounds interesting. I've asked my friend about where he got his mango tree but for all I know it is a special order.

[zzontar]

Why does organic garlic cost 3 times the amount of regular garlic when you don't have to use pesticides to grow it. Actually, you could use garlic to keep bugs away from other plants so it makes no sense as to why they'd spray it to begin with... anyone know why?

[Glacier]

Good point, zzontar. I wonder if it has something to do with conventional garlic mostly coming from China these days?

It is also interesting to note that celery "needs" to be sprayed like crazy (observe list above), but organic celery is almost the same price as conventional celery.

[Glacier]

Apparently, we are to eat more anchovies, herring and sardines to save the ocean's fish stocks...

"Cut back on tuna and salmon and load your plate instead with herring and sardines if you want to help save the world's fish. So says the scientist who led the most comprehensive analysis ever carried out of fish stocks in the world's oceans and how they have changed over the past century."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... shing-food

[Glacier]

[BriTer]

Why does organic garlic cost 3 times the amount of regular garlic when you don't have to use pesticides to grow it. Actually, you could use garlic to keep bugs away from other plants so it makes no sense as to why they'd spray it to begin with... anyone know why?

One big factor is the cost of organic certification.

[BriTer]

As well, it doesn't matter if you buy ORGANIC since majority of it is flown in.

You want to eat LOCAL

duh

Where are your sources regarding your statement about organic food? Until you show us something to back it up it is only YOUR opinion.


And why the attitude? It really isn't necessary you know.

Ash is right. 80% of 'organic' comestibles are imported. It's certified so its okay, right? Wrong. There is a big investigation going on right now in regards to certified organic food from China concerning faked organic certification. Canada has strict requirements for imported foods that are labeled organic but they can NOT ensure that all countries will follow those requirements. Hell, from a study done on food items grown in Canada it was found that something like 15% of those certified organic had traces of pesticide.
Recently a huge supplier of organic ingredients (based in Ontario I think, don't recall the name) came under heavy fire because a lot of what they were supplying to the organic industry in Canada had forged/faked certification and a number of imported items they had were from large suppliers overseas that they atually owned. A lot of that was labeled as being home grown (Canada).
Organic goes way beyond carrots, potatoes and meat. It includes ingredients to make things like soups, cereals, confections, pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene products and on and on, most ingredients of which are not available as a source from Canada.
To be certified organic, farm/garden grown items in Canada first must be grown in soil that hasn't seen pesticides in the previous 5 years. Most home gardens can't make that claim but you are still much better off growing your own.
A word (maybe more ) on corn as livestock feed. The OP's claim's are on the money. Pardon the pun.
ALL livestock.... poultry, beef, pork. The OP's claim about the use of antibiotics to combat the effects of corn in feed are also true.
An interesting and informative read: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/kingcorn/cows.html

You can read more on the use of antibiotics here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=34949

[BriTer]

I will add also that nothing in our laws for organic certification prohibits the use of corn in livestock feed, unless it is labeled grass fed.