Food is a nutrient. And it's Toxic? Why?
Our Food
Food is toxic because it contains pesticides. Fungicides to control fungal problems like molds, mildew, and rust. Herbicides kill or inhibit the growth of unwanted plants, also known as weeds. Insecticides to control insects. Insect Growth Regulators disrupt the growth and reproduction of insects. Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide, is the most widely used insecticide in the U.S. It is used in agriculture and for pest control in houses and other buildings. Americans are widely exposed to chlorpyrifos. For example: fungicides are used to kill fungi, insecticides are used to kill insects, and herbicides are used to kill weeds.
The chemical classes of pesticides are classified into organic and inorganic ingredients. Inorganic pesticides include copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper, lime, and sulfur. Pesticides serve many functions and come in many forms. Farmers use chemicals to keep weeds and pests from destroying their crops and add more nutrients to the soil. There are three kinds of pesticides; herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. The ultimate goal is to increase crop yields by reducing competitive environmental factors. The weeds, bugs, and diseases steal plant health and nutrients, reducing productivity.
The Hidden Dangers of Pesticide Residue: What You Need to Know
Organophosphates and carbamates, affect the nervous system. Others may irritate the skin or eyes. Some pesticides may be carcinogens. Others may affect the hormone or endocrine system in the body. Chronic diseases linked to exposure to chemical pesticides range from various types of cancers to neurological disorders, developmental delays in children, and effects on reproductive capacity and infertility. Examples of known chronic effects are cancers, birth defects, reproductive harm, immunotoxicity, neurological and developmental toxicity, and disruption of the endocrine system.
Most pesticides are broken down and removed from the body by the liver and kidneys. These organs also remove prescription drugs from the body. The 2 vital organs, the liver and the kidneys are responsible for cleansing the body of toxins. These organs can become useless in removing pesticides when someone is ingesting different types of prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs.
Wood preservative products claim to control wood degradation problems due to fungal rot or decay, sapstain, molds, or wood-destroying insects. Both the treatment process and the use of treated products can result in exposure to pesticides for both people and the environment. Most of the treatment processes and uses of treated products occur outdoors or in the fields. There are wood preservatives that support tolerance for indirect food-contact uses such as wooden crates, pallets, and stakes used to store or grow raw agricultural commodities. Therefore, food preservatives can also become toxic in conjunction with the food’s aging process.
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The Economic and Environmental Costs of Pesticides in Agriculture
Beyond Pesticides, December 8, 2021 The diversity, abundance, and richness of invertebrate species on oceanic islands declines due to pesticide use, urban development, and other human activities, finds research published recently in Royal Society Open Science. Despite their small size, oceanic islands harbor 20% of all species, and 50% of endangered species, making conservation critically important in the context of a sixth mass extinction and insect apocalypse. As the study indicates, “Although agriculture is currently considered the predominant driver of the worldwide species decline, it is crucial to investigate and consider all human land uses for obtaining a global impact assessment, especially in regions where land use types other than agriculture are predominant.”
In determining the primary drivers for species decline near or on oceanic islands, researchers divided the land usage into urban, tourist, and uninhabited areas. The study was carried out in the Republic of Maldives to provide a clear delineation between various land uses. Results show that, compared to uninhabited islands, urban islands contain roughly half the number of species, while tourist islands contain approximately a third. Urban island researchers attribute the disparity to habitat fragmentation, loss of habitat quality, and loss of natural vegetation cover. Specifically, activities involved in land reclamation and new construction projects were cited as the significant drivers of species decline on densely populated oceanic islands.
The economic and environmental losses due to the application of pesticides in the USA were: public health, $1.1 billion year−1; pesticide resistance in pests, $1.5 billion; crop losses caused by pesticides, $1.4 billion; bird losses due to pesticides, $2.2 billion; and groundwater contamination, $2.0 billion. Pesticides have underpinned significant improvements in global food security, albeit with associated environmental costs. ~ National Library of Medicine. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Eating Clean: Tips for Reducing Your Exposure to Pesticides in Your Diet.
Peel fruits and vegetables to reduce dirt, bacteria, and pesticides. Discard the outer leaves of leafy vegetables. Trim fat from meat and skin from poultry and fish because some pesticide residues collect in fat. Washing off all produce helps eliminate some risks when eating healthy fruits and vegetables.
Other preventions:
- Use non-pesticide methods whenever possible or an alternative product with less toxicity.
- Do not apply more pesticides than needed for agriculture.
- Read the product label at home.
- Follow product label instructions.
- Keep pesticides away from kids and pets.
- Buy organic produce.
- Thoroughly wash all fruit and vegetables (even organic).
- Grow your vegetables.
- Peel vegetables or remove the outer layer of leaves.
- Trim visible fat from meats – as many residues are fat soluble.
- Wash and cook meat and chicken thoroughly.
Pesticides are readily discarded by the human body ( e.g., in urine or feces) in a few hours or days. Resistance can develop when the same pesticide or similar ones with the same mode of action are used continually. Research confirms that traces of pesticides remain on heavily contaminated clothing even after washing. Wash work clothing at the end of each workday. Waiting more than 24 hours reduces the effectiveness of the wash cycle to remove residues. Learn more.
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