Pesticides in the Food Chain
The facts: While not a main point of the Stanford study, researchers did conclude that organic food contained significantly lower levels of pesticide residues, something previous research suggests could help protect kids from autism and ADHD, among other ills. United States Department of Agriculture testing routinely finds pesticide residues considered unsafe for children on conventionally grown—not organic—produce samples, including apples, peaches, plums, pears, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and raisins. "Parents don't want their children to serve as human guinea pigs for chemical corporations," says Charlotte Vallaeys, director of farm and food policy for The Cornucopia Institute, an organic watchdog group.
The organic advantage: Eating organic coincides with a massive drop in disease-causing pesticides in your body. "The enormous benefit of eating organic produce is that it reduces pesticide exposure by 90 percent. This has been proven in studies conducted at Harvard, the University of Washington, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," explains pediatrician Phil Landrigan, MD, professor and chair of Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "Reduction of exposure to pesticides reduces risk of neurological injury and certain cancers. I advise my patients to choose organic whenever possible."