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发帖数: 263 | 1 转自： http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/11-things-you-should-buy-organic-2467411/
By now, we all know there’s a benefit to buying some stuff organic. But
these days you’re faced with the option of getting everything organic—from
fruits and veggies to mattresses and clothing. You want to do right by your
body, for sure, but going the all-natural route en masse can be pricey.
So we wondered: What’s really essential for our health? That’s why we came
up with this definitive list. Here's what should be in your cart—and what
you don’t have to worry about.
Beef
You’ve probably read plenty of stories about the risks of eating chicken.
But the most important protein to buy organic may well be beef. "Research
suggests a strong connection between some of the hormones given to cattle
and cancer in humans, particularly breast cancer," says Samuel Epstein, MD,
professor emeritus of environmental and occupational medicine at the
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Specifically, the
concern is that the estrogen-like agents used on cattle could increase your
cancer risk, adds Ted Schettler, MD, science director at the Science and
Environmental Health Network.
Though there are strong regulations about the use of hormones in cattle, "
not all beef producers are following those regulations strictly, and some
studies continue to find hormone residue in cattle," Dr. Schettler says.
When you buy beef that’s been certified organic by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), you’re not only cutting out those
hormones, you’re also avoiding the massive doses of antibiotics cows
typically receive, which the USDA says may lead to the development of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria in people.
Health.com: 10 types of food that can make you sick
Strawberries
Strawberries may be a superfood—but they pose a potential risk unless you
go organic. In addition to having up to 13 pesticides detected on the fruit,
according to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) analysis, conventional "
strawberries have a large surface area and all those tiny bumps, which makes
the pesticides hard to wash off, so you’re ingesting more of those
chemicals," explains Marion Nestle, PhD, a professor of nutrition and public
health at New York University and author of What to Eat.
If you can, also skip conventional peaches, apples, blueberries, and
cherries, which are typically treated with multiple pesticides and usually
eaten skins-on.
Cookware
Your pots and pans are just as crucial to upgrade as the food you cook in
them: "Most nonstick cookware contains a fluorochemical called PTFE that
breaks down to form toxic fumes when overheated," says Olga Naidenko, PhD, a
senior scientist at the EWG. "Those fumes can coat the inside of the lungs
and cause allergy-like symptoms."
Tests commissioned by the EWG showed that in just two to five minutes on a
conventional stove top, cookware coated with nonstick surfaces could exceed
temperatures at which the coating emits toxic gases. Switch to stainless
steel, ceramic, or cast iron cookware.
Health.com: 11 kitchen tools that keep you thin
Popcorn
The linings of microwave-popcorn bags may contain a toxic chemical called
perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, which is used to prevent the food from
sticking to the paper. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA
), PFOA is a likely carcinogen. "We don’t know all of the hazardous effects
of PFOA yet, but we have some evidence of a link to cancer, as well as to
effects on the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems," says David Carpenter
, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the
University at Albany.
Pick up an air-popper or make your popcorn in a pan on the stove top.
Yard pesticides
Some lawn and garden pesticides contain suspected carcinogens, according to
EPA data. Long-term pesticide exposure may be related to changes in the
brain and nervous system, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports
. "Not only are you breathing the chemicals in, but you bring them indoors
and onto carpets via your shoes," says McKay Jenkins, PhD, a journalism
professor at the University of Delaware and author of What’s Gotten Into Us?
Healthier brands like BurnOut and EcoClear are made from vinegar and lemon
juice, and are effective weed-killers.
Heatlh.com: 10 dirty fruits and vegetables
All-purpose home cleaners
Time for spring-cleaning? Using common household cleaners may expose you to
potentially harmful chemicals. Ammonia and chlorine bleach can irritate the
skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. And some cleaners contain phthalates,
some of which are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with normal
hormone activity, says EWG senior scientist Becky Sutton, PhD.
Although there’s no definitive proof that phthalates cause problems in
humans, "the greatest concern is how early-life exposure will affect male [
reproductive] development," Dr. Carpenter says. There’s weaker evidence, he
adds, that phthalates affect the nervous and immune systems. Go natural
with the cleaner you use the most frequently and in the most places, such as
kitchen-counter spray—look for brands approved by Green Seal or EcoLogo,
two organizations that identify products that have met environmental label
guidelines.
Health.com: Green guide to cleaning
Water bottles
You’ve probably heard that many hard, reusable plastic water bottles could
be bad for you because they may contain BPA, or bisphenol A, another
endocrine disruptor according to the National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences.
"For adults, the biggest concern with BPA is that it may increase the risk
of breast cancer in women and reduce sperm counts in men," says Dr.
Carpenter, who explains that BPA can leach out into the water in the bottle.
To be safe, sip from an unlined stainless steel or BPA-free plastic bottle.
Food-storage containers
BPA strikes again: Many food-storage containers are made of the hard, clear
polycarbonate plastic that may contain BPA. As is the case with water
bottles, the BPA can leach out of the plastic in these containers and seep
into your leftovers.
Health.com: Studies report more harmful effects from BPA
"The leaching is increased during heating, but it also leaches to a smaller
degree even when cold foods are stored," Dr. Carpenter explains. Glass
containers are your safest—not to mention planet-friendly—bet. Both
Rubbermaid (at left) and Pyrex make glass ones with BPA-free plastic lids.
Milk
The milk you’re drinking may not be doing your body good: Dairy products
account for a reported 60 to 70 percent of the estrogens we consume through
our food. If that seems like a shockingly large number, it’s mainly because
milk naturally contains hormones passed along from cows. What worries some
experts is that about 17% of dairy cows are treated with the hormone rBST (
or rBGH), which stimulates milk production by increasing circulating levels
of another hormone called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).
"Elevated levels of IGF-1 in people are associated with an increased risk of
cancer, including breast cancer," Dr. Schettler explains. In fact, the use
of rBGH is banned in Europe and Canada. Although research has yet to
definitively conclude whether drinking rBGH-treated milk increases your IGF-
1 levels high enough to cause concern, Dr. Schettler says it’s advisable to
buy milk that hasn’t been treated with it. So pick up milk that’s labeled
rBGH-free, rBST-free, or is produced without artificial hormones.
Health.com: 11 healthy milk shakes and smoothies
Celery
When researchers at the EWG analyzed 89,000 produce-pesticide tests to
determine the most contaminated fruits and vegetables, celery topped the
chart. "In terms of the sheer number of chemicals, it was the worst," says
Sonya Lunder, senior analyst at the EWG. Celery stalks are very porous, so
they retain the pesticides they’re sprayed with—up to 13 of them,
according to the EWG analysis. Lunder also advises buying organic bell
peppers, spinach and potatoes because they scored high for pesticides, as
well.
Tomato sauce
When picking up tomato sauce or paste, choose the glass jar or box over the
can. "The lining on the inside of food cans that’s used to protect against
corrosion and bacteria may contain BPA," explains Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, a
professor of carcinogenesis at MD Anderson Cancer Center and past president
of the Society of Toxicology.
In 2009, Consumer Reports tested BPA levels in a variety of canned foods and
found it in nearly all of the brands tested, suggesting that the chemical
leaked in. "What can happen is that BPA in the lining can leach into the
food," Walker explains.
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