Sweeter in more ways than one.
Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), in an article published in Natural Health and Vegan Life Magazine 2010, stated that after a study from the US, which compared organically grown with conventionally grown strawberries, came up trumps in taste and nutrition with significantly higher total anti-oxidant activity due to the soils where higher levels of iron, boron, sodium and zinc than non organic soils.
Another BFA adviser Dr Andrew Monk commented that another reason to choose organically grown strawberries was that non organic strawberries harbor pesticide’s and fungicides, so that fruit grown on conventional farms contain chemical residues that do not rinse off when fruit is washed.
“While consumers may not be able to always physically see or taste the difference between organic and conventional fruit, the value is in the increased nutritional density of the organic fruit and freedom from pesticides, along with the obvious benefits to the environment.” he said.
Strawberries have been found to contain unsafe levels of pesticides, as well as traces of pesticides that are illegal in Australia, still being used on Australian food, crops, and animals.
The test method carried out by Choice was able to detect any of 150 different pesticides found the one or more samples:
- Boscalid
- Captan
- Carbaryl
- Chlorpyrifos
- Dimethoate
- Endosulfan-beta
- Iprodione
- Pirimicarb
- Pyrimethanil
Pesticides have been implicated in human studies of leukemia, lymphoma, and cancers of the brain, breasts, prostate, testes, and ovaries. Reproductive harm from pesticides includes birth defects, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, sterility, and infertility.
Conclusion: Avoid eating non-organic strawberries and please do not give them to your children.
