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Apr 11
Love0

Mr. Clean: Brown Bag Talks the “Clean Fifteen”

By BBBlog

In our last blog, we finished up the list of “The Dirty Dozen,”  those fruits and veggies that, even after being washed and peeled, retain the highest amounts of pesticide residue.  Now, we want to give you the “Clean Fifteen:” Produce that has the lowest amount of pesticide residue.  If you’re looking to cut your grocery bill safely, the items on the “Clean Fifteen” list might help.  So, here goes!

Onions:  Onions are the squeakiest of all!  Less than 1% of onions tested had any pesticide residue.

Sweet Corn:  98% percent of all frozen and fresh corn samples had no detectable pesticide residues.  If you’re concerned about GMO’s, do your research.  GMO’s are very common in corn and not taken into account when determining the “Clean Fifteen.”

Pineapples:  Only 6 different pesticides were found on pineapples.  Not too shabby.

Avacado:  Avacados have thick skin that protects the fruit from pesticides.

Mango:  Mangoes, like avocados, are protected by their thick skin, but you should still wash them before you dive in with your knife.

Asparagus:  Asparagus isn’t plagued by as many pests as other fruits and veggies, and so, requires little pesticide.  Eat up!

Sweet Peas:  These little gems are the least likely vegetables to contain pesticide residue according to the Environmental Working Group.

Kiwi:  Ever heard the term “saved by the skin of their teeth?”  Kiwi may not have teeth, but their skin saves them (and you) from the effects of pesticides.  Give them a rinse and then enjoy!

Cabbage:  Your cabbage isn’t swimming in pesticides because (luckily!) it doesn’t require a lot of chemicals to grow.  You will find it chock-full of beta-carotene though, so eat up!

Eggplant:  A thick skin does more than protect your feelings—it keeps your eggplant safe from pesticide contamination.  And it’s purple!  How often do you get to squeeze that color into your food rainbow?

Papaya: The pesticides used on papaya stay on the skin, so wash, peel and eat!

Watermelon:  We just have one word for you: rind.  Just try getting through that thing!

Broccoli:  Fewer pest threats mean fewer pesticides.  Apparently, bugs agree with children: Broccoli is not a treat.  Though we happen to disagree.:)

Tomato:  In 2008, tomatoes were on the “Dirt Dozen” list and now they’re hanging out with the “Clean Fifteen.”  What happened?  The Environmental Working Group doesn’t seem to understand either, but lately, tomatoes are coming up clean.

Sweet Potatoes:  This super food comes up super clean! Enjoy your vitamin A and beta carotene.

At the end of the day, the farms that produce these “Clean Fifteen” veggies are more than likely still using pesticides, whether on these items or others that they grow, and pesticides seep into ground water and otherwise damage ecosystems.  So, give a thought to the earth and seek out local, organic produce whenever possible.  At Brown Bag, we look as close to home as possible for the produce that goes into all of our food, and we believe firmly that organic is best.  You’re eating clean at Brown Bag.:)

 

Apr 05
Love0

The Dirty Dozen, Part 2: Grape Expectations

By BBBlog

Last week, we started telling you all about the “Dirty Dozen,” a list of fruits and veggies that you should always eat organic because they’re high in pesticide residue and other chemicals.  This week, we continue!  Onward and upward with the last half of the “Dirty Dozen!”

Grapes:  Grapes are frequent fliers on the “Dirty Dozen” list.  While you’ll find that imported grapes are especially high in pesticide residue, domestic grapes aren’t significantly better.  Where grapes go, raisins are sure to follow.  Consider going organic on your raisin selection as well; raisins have been tested and also have a high amount of pesticide residue stuck to them.  As much as we hate to point this out:  Take a minute or two to ponder your wine selection—but don’t freak out yet!  Organic wines are available.

Sweet Bell Peppers—If you’re looking to add some color to your plate with bell peppers, go organic.  Nearly 50 different chemicals have been identified on sweet bell peppers during testing.  Sadly, it seems that “tasting the rainbow” only makes things worse.  Tests show that colorful bell peppers (orange, yellow and red) are much worse than green.

Potatoes:  Say it ain’t so! (Sorry, it is!)  USDA testing has shown more than 35 pesticides found on potatoes.  So much for that baked potato soup, French fries, and scalloped potatoes?  Not if you buy organic.  Your other alternative?  Try sweet potatoes; they’re much safer than their white brethren.

Blueberries:  It’s the berries, again.  While we all know we need to eat more of them because they’re jam-packed with vitamins and antioxidants, you really need to eat berries grown organically.  More than 50 different pesticide residues have been found on blueberries, and while we’d like to tell you to try cherries or cranberries instead, we can’t safely say it.  These berries may not have made the “Dirty Dozen” list, but they’re generally high in chemical residue and should only be eaten organic.  Still want some fruit on your cereal?  Try bananas!

Lettuce:  Leafy greens can be tricky, and so we add lettuce to the list with spinach.  When tested, more than 50 different chemicals were found on lettuce, making it a surefire member of the “Dirty Dozen.”  Farmers markets are likely places to find your favorite salad staple organically grown, but if you’re really having trouble finding organic lettuce, look for a green alternative like asparagus.

Kale:  Kale is one of our favorite super foods, and generally known as a pretty hardy plant, so we were a little surprised to see it on the “Dirty Dozen” list.  For whatever reason, when tested, it had quite a lot of pesticide residue (which it holds onto firmly) and ended up here.  If you’re looking for a dark green alternative, try broccoli, asparagus or dandelion greens.

So, there you have it!  If you’re like us, you’re probably trying to stick to organic, pesticide-free produce as much as we are, but it’s not always easy.  We hope this list helps you identify those fruits and veggies that you should stay away from and has offered you some alternatives when organic varieties of your favorites aren’t available.  Next time, we’re serving up the “Clean Fifteen;” fifteen of the safest fruits and veggies to eat that are not grown organically.

Mar 28
Love0

The Dirty Dozen—Brown Bag Wants to Know: How Do You Like Them Apples?

By BBBlog

If you’re a fan of Brown Bag, chances are you’re also a proponent of organic food; and if you’re buying organic food on a regular basis, then you know how expensive it can get.  In fact, if you’re feeling the pinch in the checkout line, you might even be wondering if it’s really worth it.   We argue yes–“worth it” extends past a cash register receipt and into the environment and the future, but each person and each family has to make their own decisions.  On the whole, there are 3 main categories of produce whose organic road you should be following: tree fruits, berries and leafy greens, but there are exceptions.  On that note, we give you, “The  Dirty Dozen”:  the twelve most contaminated fruits and veggies.  Ready? Here goes!

Apples:  Fungus and insect threats make apples one of the most pesticide-riddled fruits out there. In fact, more than 40 different kinds of pesticides have been found on apples.  Now, you may be thinking, “I’ll just peel my apples!”  Consider this: When you peel an apple, you peel away many of its most powerful nutrients.  So, we have to ask–what’s the point in eating that apple in the first place?  Then there this:  Apples absorb and contain the pesticides with which they come into contact.  Apples are “bagged” with pesticides, so chemicals really go all the way to the core on these fruits.  A consequence of all this pesticide on apples:  Many apple products, such as apple sauce and apple juice, contain pesticide residue, as well.  The long and short of it—keep apples and apple products on your “Organic Only” list.

Looking for apple alternatives:  watermelons, bananas, and tangerines.

Celery:  This is a tricky one because it doesn’t stick to the 3 main categories; but rules were made to be broken, right?  Celery breaks the pattern in a big way and that’s why it’s on the Dirty Dozen list.  USDA tests have identified more than 60 different kinds of pesticides on celery.

Can’t find organic celery but craving its crunch?  Try broccoli, radishes and onions.

Strawberries:  Seems strawberries are always on the Dirty Dozen list, and that’s a shame because everyone loves strawberries!  Unfortunately, fungi also love strawberries, and so they are routinely sprayed with chemicals (pesticides and fungicides) and then covered in plastic, so the chemicals really permeate the berries.  The USDA has identified more than 60 different chemicals on strawberries (slightly less with frozen strawberries).  Organic is really the only way to go with these beauties.

Having trouble finding organic strawberries?  Try kiwi or pineapple as alternatives.

Peaches:   Peaches are always on the Dirty Dozen list as well.  More than 60 pesticides have been identified on peaches.  Single-serving packs are just as bad, but there seem to be slightly less in canned peaches.  Peaches, like apples, absorb and contain pesticides, but it seems that cooking peaches (as in canning) “burns off” some of the chemicals–but not all, not even close.

If organic peaches are out of reach, consider watermelons, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

Spinach:  Spinach is the lead qualifier in the leafy greens category of highest number of pesticides identified–50 different kinds!  Ugh.  And while you can wash spinach (just like other produce), you can’t wash away what is contained in the plant itself.  Doesn’t spinach make you strong like Popeye?  Maybe, but organic spinach is best.  Frozen spinach has almost as many identified pesticides but canned is somewhat safer.  Maybe Popeye was on to something after all?

Nectarines (Imported):  If pesticides go with peaches, nectarines were probably destined to follow; nectarines are actually one of the most contaminated tree fruits on the market, especially imported nectarines.  The problem:  The countries where they are grown have different laws concerning pesticides, so you’re not even eating US legal levels and kinds of pesticides—you’re getting something entirely different.  Domestic nectarines, on average, contain 33 different kinds of pesticides (better than imported but still not good). Our advice:  Go organic on this one.

Organic nectarines aren’t always easy to find, so consider pineapple, mangoes, or papaya instead.

Our next blog will cover the last 6 items on the Dirty Dozen list.  As the seasons change, winter to spring, and soon enough, spring to summer, our produce options increase; and hopefully, prices will decrease a bit as fresh produce starts flowing in.  In the meantime, consider your options.  Eat wisely. Do your own research.  Some things are worth going the extra mile (or dollar) for.

Mar 21
Love0

Do It Yourself Food: Brown Bag Talks Container Gardening

By BBBlog

When you live in a city like DC where space is limited, you might think your only option for fresh produce grown organically is the local farmer’s market.  While we’re all grateful for farmer’s markets and the local, organic produce we can buy from them, there’s something to be said for growing your food yourself: a sense of accomplishment, a connection to nature that you might not otherwise feel in the city, or simply knowing EXACTLY what went into what you’re eating.  So, what do you do if you’re living the city life with country-life longings?  Give container gardening a try!

The first thing you need to do to start growing on your own is to figure out what kind of light your space will be getting.  Most fruits, veggies and herbs require a good bit of sunlight to produce, but not all of them. If you’re trying to grow heat-loving veggies like tomatoes or peppers, a southern or south-western exposure (with 8 or more hours of sun everyday for the best results) is best, but if you’re stuck in the shade, you can still grow leafy greens like lettuces, cabbages, chard, or even broccoli.  Once you figure out your exposure and how many hours of sunlight you’ll be getting every day, you can better research what fruits, veggies and herbs might be compatible with your space and start deciding what kinds of containers will best fit your space and your plants.

There are all sorts of containers available now that will help you save space and get the most out of the space you have.  Maybe you have a balcony and you want to grow tomatoes and basil, but you’d still like to fit a café table and chairs, or even just a chair, out there to relax.  Or maybe you have a little slice of soil, but you can’t give it to a garden because you have a dog that needs to go out or a child that needs a play space.  Container gardens may be the answer.  Line the edges of your space with long, narrow boxes, or buy (or build) a tiered planter that is made to fit in a corner.  You can even buy planters these days that allow tomatoes to be grown upside down. Do some research on the internet if you’re looking to save cash and natural resources.  There are some really innovative ideas out there for reusing every day containers to grow plants.  If you’re feeling at a loss and aren’t sure where to start, go to a local nursery or garden shop and ask for their advice.  The configuration and maximization of your space is only as small as your imagination.

Once you’ve got your containers all squared away, you need to fill them, so let’s get down to the dirt.  When you’re growing plants in containers, any old dirt won’t do.  Even if you have a garden with great soil that’s been supporting hardy vegetables for years, it probably won’t work in your container.  The thing to remember about soil for containers is aeration and drainage.  While the soil in your garden may work well there, chances are that when it’s packed into a container, it will be too dense to support proper aeration and drainage.  Instead, you’re going to need to hit your local garden supply store and purchase container soil, which ironically, is mostly soilless because it is made of artificial media, such as peat, vermiculite, coir (ground coconut hulls) and bark in different recipes (depending on the manufacturer and the types of plants being grown).  You can mix some of these elements with your garden soil, if you like, and create your own container media, but you may also be getting insects, weed seeds and disease organisms.  The easiest answer for city dwellers is probably just to buy it.  If you’re looking to go organic, you can easily find organic container media.

Once you’ve figured out your light situation, secured containers, and gotten your hands dirty, your plants are ready to go.  Make sure you know their water and fertilizer requirements, and you can sit back and watch them grow.  Soon enough, you’ll be enjoying your own fresh veggies from your own backyard (or patio or balcony).  When you get there, take a few pics and post them to our Facebook page or tweet them to us at @EatBrownBag!  At Brown Bag, we love to see people taking an interest in their food and where it comes from.  You’re not just getting delicious fruits and veggies when you grow them yourself; you’re doing the earth a favor.