1. Canned Tomatoes
Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD, an
endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies
bisphenol-A, gives us the scoop:
The problem:
The resin linings of tin cans
contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked
to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease,
diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent
characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food.
Studies show that the BPA in most
people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm
production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals.
"You can get 50 mcg of BPA per
liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going
to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I
won't go near canned tomatoes."
The solution:
Choose tomatoes in glass bottles
(which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae
and Coluccio. You can also get several types in
Tetra Pak boxes,
like Trader Joe's and Pomi.
Budget tip:
If your recipe allows, substitute
bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces
with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to
adjust the recipe.
2. Corn-Fed Beef
Joel Salatin, co-owner of
Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable
farming, gives us the scoop:
The problem:
Cattle evolved to eat grass, not
grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans,
which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. But more money
for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means
a lot less nutrition for us.
A recent comprehensive study
conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University
found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher
in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid
(CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory
omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to
heart disease.
"We need to respect the fact
that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding
them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.
The solution:
Buy grass-fed beef, which can be
found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at
Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium,
but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.
Budget tip:
Cuts on the bone are cheaper because
processors charge extra for deboning. You can also buy direct
from a local farmer, which can be as cheap as $5 per pound. To
find a farmer near you, search
eatwild.com.
3. Microwave Popcorn
Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior
scientist for the
Environmental Working Group, gives us the
scoop:
The problem:
Chemicals, including
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are
part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility
in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal
testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic
cancer.
Studies show that microwaving causes
the chemicals to vaporize - and migrate into your popcorn.
"They stay in your body for
years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why
researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the
amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals.
DuPont and other manufacturers have
promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan,
but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and
then.
The solution:
Pop natural kernels the
old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add
real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable
flakes, or soup mix.
Budget tip:
Popping your own popcorn is dirt
cheap.
4. Nonorganic Potatoes
Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the
National Organic Standards Board, gives us the scoop:
The problem:
Root vegetables absorb herbicides,
pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil.
In the case of
potatoes - the nation's most popular vegetable - they're treated
with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with
herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting.
After they're dug up, the potatoes
are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting.
"Try this experiment: Buy a
conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout.
It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the
Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher
of Prevention).
"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."
The solution:
Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't
good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been
absorbed into the flesh.
Budget tip:
Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a
pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds.
5. Farmed Salmon
David Carpenter, MD, director
of the
Institute for Health and the Environment at the
University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the
journal Science on contamination in fish, gives us the scoop:
The problem:
Nature didn't intend for salmon to
be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed
chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin
D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs,
brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and
DDT.
According to Carpenter, the most
contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found
on American menus.
"You could eat one of these
salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk
of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination
study got broad media attention. "It's that bad."
Preliminary science has also linked
DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the
benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks.
There is also concern about the high
level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish.
When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs
and chemicals.
The solution:
Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon.
If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no
commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.
Budget tip:
Canned salmon, almost exclusively
from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.
6. Milk Produced with Artificial
Hormones
Rick North, project director
of the
Campaign for Safe Food at the
Oregon Physicians for
Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of
the American Cancer Society, gives us the scoop:
The problem:
Milk producers treat their dairy
cattle with recombinant
bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as
it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also
increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also
leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth
factor in milk.
In people, high levels of IGF-1 may
contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers.
"When the government approved
rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken
down in the human digestive tract," says North.
As it turns out, the casein in milk
protects most of it, according to several independent studies.
"There's not 100% proof that
this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North.
"However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."
The solution:
Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free,
produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These
phrases indicate rBGH-free products.
Budget tip:
Try Wal-Mart's Great Value label,
which does not use rBGH.
7. Conventional Apples
Mark Kastel, former executive
for agribusiness and codirector of the
Cornucopia Institute, a
farm-policy research group that supports organic foods, gives us
the scoop:
The problem:
If fall fruits held a "most doused
in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are
individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each
variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't
develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The
industry maintains that these residues are not harmful.
But Kastel counters that it's just
common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused
produce, like apples.
"Farm workers have higher rates
of many cancers," he says.
And increasing numbers of studies
are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from
all sources) with Parkinson's disease.
The solution:
Buy organic apples.
Budget tip:
If you can't afford organic, be sure
to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to
compromise.
"I would rather see the
trade-off being that I don't buy that expensive electronic
gadget," he says. "Just a few of these decisions will
accommodate an organic diet for a family."
