The Threat of Pesticides in Our Food Products: Does it Bug You Too?

Naturally, pesticides are used the for defense against insects, as well as for fungi, weed control, and pesky creatures such as rodents. Their place in the food industry primarily centers around their role in farming to encourage larger crops production and the actual appearance of the foods we eat.

The use of pest control is at an all-time high and the list of foods that pesticides can taint is endless. Vegetables, fish, dairy products, rice, meat, coffee, fruit, and sugar are victimized by pesticides. Essentially we consume these foods every day and likely our fair share of pesticides. Roughly 20% of all known pesticides have been proven to be carcinogens. Yes, cancer is a viable threat that is front and center when it comes to tainted food products. Benzine and Xylene are amongst the chief cancer-causing agents in our foods today. In addition to cancer, cardiac irregularities and intestinal disorders headline a very long list of afflictions that ingested pesticides can cause.

In addition to various forms of cancer that pesticides can spawn, birth defects are also a concern. The United States government has banned some of these substances, but even then many of these chemicals end up back in our society since the chemicals are exported internationally to countries that ship the chemicals back as part of an export such as tea, sugar, coffee, chocolate, and various fruits.

If that was not enough, a growing number of insects, rodents, fungi, and other undesirables have grown resistant to many chemicals, which in turn, prompts our nation's growers to see fit to utilize larger amounts of these pesticides and companies which produce these products to create stronger mixtures of these cancer-causing agents.

Is there anything we can do to help reduce our risk? Here are a couple:

• Peel off the outer layers of leafy vegetables nsuch as lettuce, cabbage, etc. which will have a much higher exposure and concentration of pesticides

• Wash vegetables in water and a liquid detergent

• Try and steer clear of foods that are imported