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Thread: Organic Greens?

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    Registered User Ball_Pythons4life's Avatar
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    Organic Greens?

    So when you're buying you pet lizards vegetables, do you need to get organic ones that pesticides were not used on, or are non-organic ones fine?

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    Personally I buy organic greens & produce for myself, so I think it's a good idea for our pets too, especially something tiny like a lizard. If you buy regular produce, wash it well & make sure no "soap" remains either. (they make stuff designed for washing veggies- not regular dish soap)
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    Re: Organic Greens?

    I always purchased organic when I was keeping lizards that needed veggies. Now keep in mind, the USDA's organic certification process is.. let's say full of issues, especially for imported produce.

    Just be careful, make sure you're washing all of your produce before you or your animals eat it, and you should be fine.

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    Bogertophis (03-18-2021)

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    By some coincidence, this was just in today's paper:

    Strawberries top list with most pesticides

    Dustin Barnes
    USA TODAY
    Strawberries remain in the top spot on an annual list of fruits and vegetables found to have the highest traces of pesticides.
    The 2021 “Dirty Dozen,” released Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group, ranked pesticide residue levels of fruits and vegetables based on samples taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
    There were two noticeable changes to this year’s list, said Thomas Galligan, a toxicologist for the working group.
    Collard and mustard greens joined the list at No. 3, sharing a spot with kale. The pesticide most frequently found on these greens was DCPA, a compound classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a possible carcinogen, Galligan added.

    The second vegetables added to this year’s “Dirty Dozen” are bell peppers and hot peppers, which ranked atNo. 10, Galligan said. “In the most recent test, they found 115 pesticides on different peppers.”
    Nearly 70% of non-organic produce sold in the country contains pesticide residues, the report said. And more than 90% of samples including strawberries, apples and leafy greens tested positive for residues of two or more pesticides.

    ‘Choose organic’ if you can
    A CDC analysis found only 1 in 10 adults gets enough fruits and vegetables, with men, younger adults and people with lower incomes consuming the fewest.
    “The most important thing is that everyone should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables,” Galligan said. “We do recommend you try to reduce your pesticide exposure. Choose organic whenever possible.”
    That’s why the Environmental Working Group also released the “Clean Fifteen,” a list of produce that tested with lower trace amounts of pesticides.
    “Try to choose organic options for those 12 (Dirty Dozen),” Galligan said. “But if you can’t afford or don’t have access to those organic foods, then you can turn to our Clean Fifteen list.”
    Avocados and sweet corn took the top two spots on the clean list, where
    fewer than 2% of samples showed any detectable pesticides.

    There are some concerns this annual list may scare shoppers away from non-organic fruits and vegetables, which tend to cost less than their organic counterparts and may be more accessible to consumers living in areas without multiple grocery options.
    “This list should have no impact on your shopping habits,” said Tamika Sims, senior director of food technology at the International Food Information Council, a nonprofit supported by food, beverage and agricultural industries.

    Other options
    Organic and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are not regulated more than the other, Sims said. The USDA and EPA, among others, “work conservatively to make sure all these fruits and vegetables are safe for consumption.”
    If the concern over the potential for pesticide residue remains, Sims said, there are other options.
    “Think about buying the frozen version,” she said. “(Frozen) fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious and good for you, and safe, as the fresh ones. Canned goods are a great option, too.”

    -----------------------------------------------------------------


    Dirty Dozen
    1 Strawberries
    2 Spinach
    3 Kale, collard and mustard greens
    4 Nectarines
    5 Apples
    6 Grapes
    7 Cherries
    8 Peaches
    9 Pears
    10 Bell and hot peppers
    11 Tomatoes
    12 Celery

    Clean Fifteen
    1 Avocados
    2 Sweet corn
    3 Pineapple
    4 Onions
    5 Papaya
    6 Sweet peas(frozen)
    7 Eggplant
    8 Asparagus
    9 Broccoli
    10 Cabbage
    11 Kiwi
    12 Cauliflower
    13 Mushrooms
    14 Honeydew melon
    15 Cantaloupes
    SOURCE: EWG






    Last edited by Bogertophis; 03-18-2021 at 03:18 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    BPnet Veteran Trinityblood's Avatar
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    There's not going to be much difference if any. 'Organic' is so poorly regulated that you're usually just hurting your wallet and not actually getting what you think you are. The only sure way to know it's truly organic is to grow it yourself.

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    Spicey (03-18-2021)

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    But where are my carrots on this list? Sweet potatoes? White potatoes? Is the EWG prejudiced against root vegies or what?

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    Re: Organic Greens?

    Quote Originally Posted by Spicey View Post
    But where are my carrots on this list? Sweet potatoes? White potatoes? Is the EWG prejudiced against root vegies or what?

    I know what you mean. It's not a perfect system, nor are they complete lists- they pick the worst (to avoid) & the best (to relax about) I guess-?

    With the "clean 15"- sometimes chosen because insects don't like them (ie. broccoli), so pesticides aren't much needed. Good to know, right? Or they're chosen because the peels aren't eaten & protect the part that is- like with avocado & pineapples.

    The "dirty dozen" often have soft skins that ARE eaten (tomatoes etc) or lots of crevices that trap pesticides where it's hard to wash off (ie. strawberry seeds, greens, peaches, etc).

    This article went way beyond the original question, but it's good to consider anyway- & for anyone keeping bearded dragons, for example, they eat many things on the lists.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 03-18-2021 at 04:30 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    back when I had my iguana there really wasn't an 'organic' produce section, just wash the fruits/vegg really well and it shouldn't be a problem to use 'regular' produce.
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