Chemical-free, organically-grown produce is widely accepted as the healthiest choice for everyone, but it is especially important when it comes to infants and young children. Why? Before their brains, immune and detoxification systems have developed, little baby bodies are especially succeptable to chemical residues found in non-organic food.
Plus, because babies are so small, they eat (pound for pound) two to four times more fruits and vegetables than adults. This means that babies’ potential exposure to chemical pesticides and fertilizers is much higher than most adults’.
The USDA closely regulates certified-organic produce, ensuring that it is free of the dangerous additives of conventional food. Similarly, organic meat and dairy is guarenteed to be free of hormones and antibiotics used on standard livestock. Since the long term health risks associated with ingesting these chemicals is still uncertain, it’s better to play it safe with your kids.
Buying organic food helps to support small, sustainable farmers who keep harmful chemicals out of our diets and water supplies. Organic food is better for the environment because its farmers use sustainable practices that benefit the soil and limit pollution and waste. It may be more expensive, but think of it as an investment in the health and future of your child.
Did you know that pesticides have been linked to cancer, birth defects, and nerve system damage in humans?
Pesticides have been linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while exposure to insecticides has been associated with
leukemia, multiple myeloma, and brain cancer. Numbers of low birth-weight babies in southern Iowa and breast cancer cases in
Kentucky were especially high in areas with pesticide-contaminated water.
Did you know that pesticide use puts children at a much greater risk for poisoning than adults?
According to the EPA, because children have a much smaller body mass and are still developing, they can suffer
poisoning from a much smaller dose of any toxin – such as a pesticide – than the average adult.
Did you know that organic forming is better for soil, water and wildlife?
According to the USDA, organic methods are designed to be in tune with natural processes and means of production,
and they employ crop rotation and fertilization techniques that preserve land and resources for future generations.
Large-scale corporate organic operations do exist, however, that do not necessarily follow this design.
Did you know studies have shown organically-grown foods contain one third as much pesticide residue as conventional
food?
The organic food process works. This fact from a 2002 Consumers Union study shows how significant the difference
between organic and non-organic food can be.
SOURCES :
1.Consumers Union. "Pesticide residues in conventional, IPM-grown and organic foods: Insights from three U.S. data sets." Available from: http://www.consumersunion.org/food/organicsumm.htm [15 June 2009]
