Leafy Greens are Superfoods: But What About Pesticide?
Dear GreenSmoothieGirl: I’m trying to eat more leafy greens. Should I be concerned about pesticides? Do I need to always buy organic?
Leafy greens are extremely nutritious. Wanting to consume more leafy greens is how I discovered green smoothies.
And later spoke in 450 cities as the GreenSmoothieGirl, demonstrating how to do it. The most powerful habit in how I recovered my health.
That’s why they’re called green smoothies – because you add leafy greens. (They don’t have to actually look green!)
I love my daily glasses of green goodness. But, the leafy greens you choose to eat matter, for your health!
I highly recommend buying organic, with this category of food. Let’s talk about why leafy greens aren’t optional; how to buy better ones, very low in pesticide; and the best ways to consume them.
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Great Reasons to Eat Greens
Leafy greens are low in calories and fat, and they are particularly rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.
Leafy greens include:
Spinach
Lettuce
Kale
Cabbage
Mustard greens
Celery
Bok choy
Chard
Watercress
And others
Consuming greens regularly has been associated with the prevention of a wide range of health conditions, such as:
Lowering your risk of cancer
Significantly reducing the likelihood of getting heart disease
Protecting against neurodegenerative disease and cognitive decline
Helping you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
Even one daily serving of leafy greens can significantly lower age-related cognitive decline, according to research published in the journal Neurology.
That’s why at least one cup raw or ½ cup cooked – is recommended for brain health.
One thing that makes leafy greens so powerful for your health is the chlorophyll – one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.
Chlorophyll is similar to your blood and can bind to harmful substances in your body and eliminate them from your body. This detoxifies you and helps protect you from many illnesses and health concerns.
Additionally, leafy greens can help:
Boost your immune system
Improve your gut health
Lower your unhealthy cravings
Give you lasting energy
Reading the rest of this article is the perfect inspiration to join our 9-Day Green Smoothie Challenge!
It’s coming up this month, it’s free, and we do it to great fanfare twice a year! We want to help you “up your game.”
Non-Organic Kale and Other Greens May Be Contaminated
So, leafy greens are fabulous for you.
But, there’s something else you need to know:
Most non-organic kale and other leafy greens are grown with cancer-causing chemicals.
Nearly 60% of kale samples tested were found to be contaminated with a possible cancer-causing pesticide that was banned in Europe 15 years ago, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis.
While leafy greens’ popularity has soared, the amount and types of pesticides on kale and other leafy greens has expanded considerably.
The pesticide identified in the EWG analysis is DCPA, or Dacthal, which the U.S. EPA classified as a possible carcinogen in 1995. The EPA blamed it for increases in liver and thyroid tumors, as well as harm to the lungs, liver, kidney, and thyroid.
Non-organic kale farming relies on the use of multiple synthetic pesticides, including DCPA. I just wouldn’t buy it.
I’d be growing my own, or buying certified organic, to minimize exposure. (And am doing this. In Florida, dollarweed grows free everywhere, and is a staple in my green smoothie.)
Leafy greens, including kale, spinach, collard, and mustard greens, are regularly listed on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list of the fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticides.
Over 100 pesticides were detected in kale, collard, and mustard greens – and a single sample contained up to 21 different pesticides.
This is why I think it’s so important to buy organic greens. And talk to your grocer about how important organic-certified produce is to you.
Other Pesticides on Greens
Overall, green leafy vegetables are more susceptible to environmental changes and pests. So, farmers use more pesticides, if they’re allowed to, if they aren’t governed by organic certification.
Additionally, due to their large surface areas, leafy greens may have pesticide residue levels.
There’s no national registry of pesticides that are used on fruit and vegetable crops, so it’s not clear which ones growers are spraying.
California is the only state that requires pesticides sprayed on crops in the state to be registered, so the human exposure can be tracked.
These are some of the other pesticides used on greens:
Organophosphates are a widely used class of pesticides that are commonly used on leafy greens – which pose potential threats to the brain and nervous system. They are neurotoxic to humans, posing a risk to normal neurological function and children’s development.
In the EWG analysis, one out of every four of the leafy green samples contained two types of insecticides, bifenthrin and cypermethrin. Research shows that these pesticides are associated with adverse neurological outcomes, such as ADHD, particularly in children.
You might be getting low doses of pesticides in leafy greens and other produce you consume. But animal products and processed foods have even higher levels–study after study shows.
Your Best Bet is to Choose Organic Leafy Greens
Even if you thoroughly wash your produce, it still may contain traces of pesticides.
Some pesticides are even systemic, meaning they are taken in by the plant’s root system, can’t be washed off.
To reduce your pesticide exposure and the risks to your health, research has repeatedly shown that organic produce has fewer pesticide residues than conventional.
As a general rule, you should always choose the organic option for greens.
Bananas? Avocados? Almonds? Watermelon? No big deal, organic or not. With greens, it’s a big deal.
I also grow my own, in a Lettuce Grow vertical growing system, which I keep on the patio. They give you a set of free seedlings with your order of the Lettuce Grow garden.
Organic leafy greens usually aren’t significantly more expensive than conventional greens, like they used to be when I started making green smoothies!
If you can’t find organic, and can’t grow or forage your own–conventional produce is still a better option than processed food or animal products for your health, overall.
Livestock eats conventionally sprayed plant foods, which concentrate in animal flesh, excretions, and eggs.
People Love The Results from Green Smoothies
Green smoothies are great because they are the easiest way to get more leafy greens in your diet.
These are only a few of the countless testimonials we’ve received over the years from people after consuming more leafy greens in green smoothies:
“Green smoothies have changed my life! I always felt tired and cranky and always a little hungry, but as soon as I added green smoothies, I felt AWESOME! They give me everything I need. I love my green smoothies!” – Brendon C.
“Green smoothies have saved my life! I had been in a state of depression for the past 4 years. I was put on depression medicine, but it never helped. I started making a green smoothie every day, and I feel AMAZING, WONDERFUL, and FULL OF LIFE.
I have had tons of energy. I can fall asleep faster at night and feel rested when I wake up. I have had fewer cravings for sweets and processed foods, my motivation is back, and I have lost 8 pounds in 2 months. Green smoothies are here to stay!” – AB
“I have had an iron deficiency most of my life, and the green smoothies have helped tremendously!I am losing less hair in the shower as a result. My daughters love the green smoothies! They even ask for them now and love watching me make them. It is so good to be able to give them a way to get good veggies in their diet without fighting with them. Thank you for changing our way of life.” – JoAnn Y.
“I started drinking green smoothies almost three years ago and lost over 30 pounds, regained my health, and felt 10 years younger. My children never need visits to the doctor unless they have been injured. The evidence is so obvious that I cannot ever cease this miracle drink.” – Julie G.
Overall, green smoothies are ONE really easy way to get tons of raw, organic plant foods in the diet.
And THAT is the secret sauce. More raw, organic plant foods. That is the holy grail, if there is one, or fountain of youth.
Wash your greens well. And don’t ignore the organic native greens that may be growing near you, like the everywhere-weed in Florida, “dollar weed!”
These used to be foods for humans for thousands of years before grocery stores!
Join the Green Smoothie Challenge this month!
Want an easy and delicious way to consume more leafy greens and enjoy the benefits? Our Spring 9-Day Green Smoothie Challenge begins soon, on April 22nd, 2024.
The top results people experience from consuming green smoothies include more energy, improved digestion, a more positive mood, improved skin, and weight loss.
It’s a fun, uplifting experience, which is an excellent way to reawaken hope and health after a long winter.
When you join our FREE challenge – 20,000 people have taken it so far! – we’ll send you:
Daily recipes with videos,
A shopping list,
Exclusive deals for your smoothie success, insider tips,
And an invite to our private FB community to support you
Thank you for your support of this Substack blog! We hope you find great ideas and help here, to live a healthy life, which I’ve dedicated my career to. To your health!