Pesticide Residue

Pesticides are used on fruits, vegetables, and grains. These chemicals are absorbed into our body through our food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.

Chronic exposure to pesticides has been linked to various health conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, birth defects, infertility, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and numerous cancers including leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, brain cancer, bone cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and liver cancer.

Every pesticide in our country is regulated by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Since Canada’s laws are different from imported food from other countries, it is best to buy local and buy organic whenever possible. Think of all of the gasoline fumes the food has been exposed to, in addition to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Grow as many different kinds of food in your own garden, so you can control the use of pesticide and fertilizer. There are several types of small gardens you can make from do-it-yourself help off the internet, even on your windowsill.

Only eat these foods if organic to avoid high pesticide residue:

2017 Dirty Dozen List

Strawberries

Spinach

Nectarines

Apples

Peaches

Pears

Cherries

Grapes

Celery

Tomatoes

Sweet bell peppers

Potatoes

Look for the “Canada Organic” label on food you purchase.

Read the codes on stickers of fruits and vegetables.

If there are only 4 numbers, the product was grown using pesticides.

If there are 5 numbers and the first number is “8”, the product is genetically modified.

If there are 5 numbers and the first number is “9”, the product is organic.