Fresh Greens

Not Just HFCS and Peanut Butter: Here are 10 Other Risky Foods

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February 4, 2009 RSS Feed Print
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As if we don't have enough to be worried about already. In the midst of food safety scares from salmonella in peanut butter and mercury in high fructose corn syrup, Sprig has produced a list of 10 other foods that can be dangerous. Their risks range from hormones to pesticides to carcinogenic substances. How to avoid many of these risks? Buy organic.

  1. Farmed Salmon. It's high in Polychlorinated Biphenyls, with 11 times more dioxins than wild salmon.
  2. Conventionally Grown Bell Peppers. They require more pesticides than any other vegetable - with as many as 64 being found on a single sample of pepper in one study.
  3. Non-Organic Strawberries. Some growers of strawberries irrigate their plants with Nutri-Sweet-laced water. The sugar substitute is a probable carcinogen.
  4. Chilean Sea Bass. The fish is high in mercury, and if eaten consistently over time, can elevate the body's mercury levels to dangerous amounts.
  5. Non-Organic Peaches. Pesticides easily penetrate their soft skins and permeate the fruit.
  6. Genetically Modified Corn. We still don't know the long-term effects of genetically modified corn, but it's been tied to an increase in allergies for humans.
  7. Bluefin Tuna. Not only is it high in mercury, but overfishing may drive the species to extinction.
  8. Industrially Farmed Chicken. Arsenic has been found in conventional chickens, as well as antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
  9. Non-Organic Apples. When grown in humid Mid-Atlantic states, the crop uses more pesticides than California, Oregon and Washington states.
  10. Cattle Treated with rBGH. Recombinant bovine growth hormone has been traced to breast cancer and hormonal disorders.
Tags:
food safety,
environment

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While you were discussing your food plan with Billy, he asked if he could use other peanut butters such as Jif, etc. and you explained that he should only use natural peanut butter such as L.S. because you could siphon off the oil. Actually, the oil is a natural component and if you pour too much off, the peanut butter will dry up and not be creamy. We have tried this.

However, a much more important reason for using natural peanut butter is that it does not add "bad" things such as high fructose corn syrup or any of those so-called flavor enhancers which are very unhealthy and seem to be a part of salad dressings and many other foods. They are a cheap way of sweetening foods that do not need it. I make my own salad dressings and keep things as natural as possible. Remember to READ EVERY LABEL. You will be shocked, amazed and you will learn so much.

You are a lovely, warm and kind person and I feel as though you are my friend.

Hugs,

Alisa

Alisa McGeorge of CA 2:47PM September 25, 2009

While you were discussing your food plan with Billy, he asked if he could use other peanut butters such as Jif, etc. and you explained that he should only use natural peanut butter such as L.S. because you could siphon off the oil. Actually, the oil is a natural component and if you pour too much off, the peanut butter will dry up and not be creamy. We have tried this.

However, a much more important reason for using natural peanut butter is that it does not add "bad" things such as high fructose corn syrup or any of those so-called flavor enhancers which are very unhealthy and seem to be a part of salad dressings and many other foods. They are a cheap way of sweetening foods that do not need it. I make my own salad dressings and keep things as natural as possible. Remember to READ EVERY LABEL. You will be shocked, amazed and you will learn so much.

You are a lovely, warm and kind person and I feel as though you are my friend.

Hugs,

Alisa

Alisa McGeorge of CA 2:47PM September 25, 2009

High Fructose Corn Syrup is safe. It contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets FDA’s requirements for the use of the term “natural”. The reports from which the mercury information came from are seriously flawed. It would be wrong to conclude that there’s any kind of food risk based on these reports. Keep in mind that even if the research was complete and correct, the mercury levels cited by these reports is far below levels of concern set by the federal government. For example, EPA sets limits for mercury in water at two parts per billion. In comparison, the authors measured levels at parts per trillion in foods with high fructose corn syrup. The reports are also based on outdated information and the high fructose corn syrup industry uses only mercury-free version of the re-agents.

Stephanie Green, Registered Dietitian

Stephanie Green of AZ 11:31AM February 17, 2009

Fresh Greens

Maura Judkis is a producer at U.S. News. She writes about the green movement and looks for ways to be an ecofriendly consumer without breaking the bank. Send her your green tips.

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