Eating Organic While Pregnant

Eating Organic While Pregnant

While searching the internet, I have found some great information on Organic vs Conventional foods information.  Some lean more one way than the other and some are split, saying that as along as you avoid x, y and z you will be fine.  Or buy these specific foods organic and the rest is fine, aka "The Dirty Dozen".  


Here is an excerpt from a blog that was talking about the Stanford Research Project on organic vs conventional.  

"Organic produce has lower levels of pesticide residue than conventional fruits and vegetables. That said, almost all produce, whether it’s organic or conventional, already contains less pesticide residue than the maximum allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency. It then becomes of a question of whether you are comfortable with the E.P.A. standards. Charles Benbrook, who worked as the chief scientist for the Organic Center before moving to Washington State University last month, said the benefits of organic food, in terms of pesticide exposure, would be greatest for pregnant women, for young children and for older people with chronic health problems. He cites research that looked at blood pesticide levels of pregnant women and then followed their children for several years. The studies found that women with the highest pesticide levels during pregnancy gave birth to children who later tested 4 to 7 percent lower on I.Q. tests compared with their elementary school peers."

This would concern me as an expectant parent.  Most everyone wants the best for their child.  The study talks about how nutritionally the foods are fairly equal.  It is the impact of the pesticides and additives that concern us.  Certain children react to the dyes in foods, like Red Dye 40.  This is what HealthLine had to say:




"According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Red 40 and other AFCs can cause allergic reactions in some people. Research shows they can also cause hyperactivity in children and immune system tumors in mice. Red 40 contains p-Cresidine, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says is “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen.
One study found that Red 40 lowers reproductive success in rats. It also reduced parental and offspring weight, decreased brain weight, and lowered chances for survival in newborn rats. The authors said the colorant showed evidence of physical and behavioral toxicity in developing rats that consumed Red 40 as 10 percent of their diet. The Environmental Working Group lists the overall hazard level for Red 40 as low. Other entities claim it is highly toxic, most importantly because people are unaware of how much they are exposed to it."
Lower birth weight?  Lower reproductive rate? Lower brain weight?!!  So not only does non-organic food, and additives cause growth issues with our babies in-vitro, it can cause learning disabilities and contribute to hyperactivity.  The part that blows me away is where the Department of Health and Human Services says that it is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen!  So why is it in the food! 
The article on Health Line gives you a list of what Red 40 can be listed as on labels.  It also gives a great list of the foods that contain it!  Surprisingly the foods don't have to be red to contain Red 40!  
Eating organic or just watching what additives are put in the food you eat can benefit you and your children.  Give them a fighting chance by watching what you eat.  



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