Written by Max Goldberg
on November 30, 2013
THE PROBLEMS WITH CONVENTIONAL
POTATOES
1) According to the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program, 35 different pesticides have been found on conventional
potatoes.
And out of these 35:
– 6 are known or probably carcinogens
– 12 are suspected hormone disruptors
– 7 are neurotoxins
– 6 are developmental or reproductive
toxins
The chemical that is found on 76% of
all conventional potatoes is chlorpropham, an herbicide that is used to stop
the growth of weeds and to inhibit potato sprouting.
Not only is this chemical toxic to
honey bees, but according to the
Extension Toxicology Network, chronic exposure
of laboratory animals to chlorpropham has caused “retarded growth, increased
liver, kidney and spleen weights, congestion of the spleen, and death.”
2) As a root vegetable, potatoes
absorb all of the pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides that are sprayed
above the ground and then eventually make their way into the soil.
With potatoes, however, the chemical
treatment is quite extensive.
During
growing season – They get treated with fungicides
Before
harvesting – They get sprayed with herbicides
to kill off the fibrous vines
After being
dug up – They get sprayed again to prevent them from sprouting
3) Quite often, the most important
information about a food is what growers or “insiders” have to say about it.
Jeff Moyer, farm director at
the Rodale Institute and former chair of the National Organic Standards Board,
has been quoted as saying “I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank
they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where
they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals.”
ORGANIC POTATOES ARE THE ANSWER
See also: http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=PO
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