WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - The Healing Hour: Mind, Body, and Soil

Episode Date: March 7, 2024

Adriana and Erika discover the concept of regenerative and organic farming, talk about pesticides, and ponder the nature of the tomato.

Hello and welcome to the Healing Hour where we give you your weekly dose of healing. I'm your host, Adriana Azarian. And I'm your co-host, Erica Kaiba. And today we're going to be talking about the effects of conventional industrial farming practices on our fruits and vegetables. You've been told to always eat your fruits and veggies. But not all fruits and veggies are created equal. Are they, Adriana?

They are definitely not. I'm sure that we are all familiar with the debate about buying organic or conventional produce and which is better for you. And that's kind of a nuanced question, wouldn't she say, Erica? For sure. And I will say, I always hear about pesticides. But one thing I've never heard of until recently is the impact of soil health on the nutritional content of fruits and veggies.

Yes, yes. So Erica and I actually found an article. It's called How Soil Health is Connected to Human Health and So much more. Like Kristen Olson. From Experience Life magazine. And according to this article, quote, the nutritional value of many of the vegetables and fruits we eat today is five to 40% lower than that of the same produce grown 50 to 70 years ago, according to Dr. Donald R. Davis. And I'm really curious as to how they got that statistic, because five to 40 is an immense range.

Yes. So I'm curious as to whether this is concentrated in certain areas. There's a lot to unpack there. It looks like they tested 43 different vegetables and fruits. So it looks like the range is probably between vegetables. It says here, in a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2004, Davis reviewed U.S. Department of Agriculture and Nutritional Data from 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits.

He found apparent statistically reliable declines in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin C across the foods he saw. studied over those years. Those are all very important. That is an impressive array of compounds that we need nutritionally. I think this is one reason why I definitely recommend taking a multivitamin because we just are not going to get all that we need from fruits and vegetables as much as we wish that we could and as much as probably we would have been able to, you know, about a century ago. I think it's really important that we are making sure we're getting those things. We just can't get them from our food anymore. But why did it decrease, Erica? Let's find out. Yes.

It says here that scientists think that these nutrient losses stem from conventional farming's reliance on synthetic fertilizers and plant cultivars bred for high yields instead of for nutritional quality, as well as its many practices that deplete soil health. The article also mentions that soil basically has a microbiome and that interacts with the fruits and vegetables being growing inside of it and they have a symbiotic relationship. Hmm. So if we're destroying the soil, we are having a really negative impact on the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables.

So what is the solution? Well, Erica, this article talks about regenerative farming, which I think is something that's becoming more and more prominent in world of health foods and health culture. It seems like with regenerative farming, there's more of a focus on quality over quantity. and making sure that the soil health is prioritized and that we can keep those minerals and those vitamins intact. It is more expensive. That is definitely a downside. You know, food is medicine very much.

And yeah, vitamins are great. The thing with multivitamins is that your body can't absorb them all at once. We're made to get our vitamins from food. And it is unfortunate that we can't. That's so difficult to do that. difficult to do that. Can we maybe talk about the difference between organic and regenerative, regenerative farming?

Because I had never heard of that last one before reading this article. So organic is just that they don't use pesticides or herbicides. It can have pesticides, but only very small quantities of it. But strictly speaking, organic, they don't have pesticides or pesticide residue on them. Pesticides are a big health concern. I think because, you know, a lot of glyphosate, for example, which is in like Roundup, has been linked to cancer. It's been linked to birth defects, hormonal imbalances. And you're eating that every day, really, if you're eating conventional produce.

And that does build up in your system over time. I mean, what it's going to do is different for everyone. It might not do anything, but it is something to be aware of. And I guess the other thing would be, I mean, not everybody can afford or, or, you know, organic fruits and vegetables. But I think the thing to keep in mind would be being very thorough about washing fruits and vegetables down. It's not just a quick rinse.

You've got to really scrub. Because these are toxic chemicals. And we don't want them in our bodies. We don't want them in our children's bodies. Bad. No. Very bad. So I was reading an article from Consumer Report called An Easy Way to Remove Pesticides by

Catherine Roberts. They found that you can clean conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, non-organic foods and vegetables, in baking soda and water. Interesting. So they say it's a study out of the University of Amher, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. And they said that soaking fruits and vegetables in baking soda and water for 12 to 15 minutes was able to get rid of most of the pesticides. Or in this case, it got rid of all the pesticides, but you can't really apply that to every fruit and vegetable because. there's a lot of factors, like what kind of fruit and vegetable, how much pesticide. Yeah, how much pesticide, how much it's absorbed, how long pesticides been sitting on it.

But still, like, if you can't afford organic, like, it's still better. Like, it's still better if you eat your fruits and vegetables, right? And it's still, this is a way that you can reduce your intake significantly. It's a nice, simple process. Just leave it and soak it. Yes, so the article recommend a teaspoon of baking soda and two cups of water, and then the longer you soak, says the more chemicals you'll get rid of. And as we were talking about before, some fruits and

vegetables tend to have more pesticide content than others. This is true. So there's this thing called the dirty dozen list. Do you want to talk about that, Erica? Sure. Adriana found an article called The Dirty Dozen 12 foods that are high in pesticides. This is on Healthline. And it is by Jillian Kubala. So, okay, the Dirty Dozen. They call it that. because these are fruits and or vegetables that tend to have the highest level of pesticides on them. They tend to absorb them more through their skin. So it's strawberries, spinach, kale, mustard, and collared greens. That's its own category.

Peaches, pears, nectarines, apples. Not apples. Not apples. That's so sad. But an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I don't know, Erica. It seems like it's bringing the doctor closer. Uh-oh.

grapes, bell and hot peppers, alas, cherries, blueberries, and green beans. It says here that the EWG, that is the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization, uses six measures to determine the pesticide contamination of produce. Percent of samples tested with detectable pesticides. Percent of samples with two or more detectable pesticides. Average number of pesticides found on a single sample. Average amount of pesticides found measured in parts per million, maximum number of pesticides found on a single sample,

and total number of pesticides found on the crop. So it seems like a pretty rigorous method of testing. And I think it's also important to note, like, okay, just because you ate one unwashed strawberry, does not mean you're going to get sick. But think about how much you eat fruits and vegetables and how over time this is getting into people's systems. something interesting to think about though, and it's here in the article,

it says that some experts argue that the dirty dozen list is scaring the public away from consuming healthy foods. And this is a huge issue because they talk about the dangers of pesticides here in the article, and those are absolutely we should take them seriously. There are serious associations with cancer that come from Roundup. Pestic are toxic to your body. They are linked with cancer. They can build up over time and have adverse effects. But the problem is, if you are not eating fruits and vegetables to avoid this and are on a diet of processed foods, they're going to have an inflammatory effect, the lack of fiber and the nutrients that you are getting from the fruits and vegetables are to the detriment of your body.

It will make you more predisposed to heart conditions. Cancer. Also cancer. So there's a real cost benefit here, it seems to me. You know, I would agree with that. And that's why I think, you know, the baking soda water thing seems like a really good idea. Yes. I think also if you can afford it and not everyone can, and that's, you know, that's understandable.

But if we can afford buying organic versions of those fruits and vegetables, like that is a really good idea. At the same time, there are fruits and vegetables that really, like, they're spread with pesticides, but they're still pretty safe to eat because they have tough outer shells. So we talked about the dirty dozen list. There's also the Clean 15 list. Isn't that cute? That is cute. So that's avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, onions, papaya, sweet peas, frozen.

It says frozen. This is from mindbodygreen.com. But you can find this list pretty much everywhere. Asparagus, honeydew melon, kiwi, cabbage, mushrooms, mangoes, sweet potatoes. potatoes, watermelon, and carrots. If you want to save money, like, these are really good options that you can buy that aren't organic because you're not being exposed to as many pesticides with these particular fruits and vegetables.

Yes. And when it comes to the dirty dozen, I'm not going to stop eating them, but I'm probably going to think more about investing in the organic version of those products. Right. And, I mean, yes, it is a bit more expensive, a dollar more. If it's an investment towards your health and if it's plausible for you, you know, it's better to pay money investing your health and to pay for medical treatments later. Also, if all of us who are able to buy organic, start buying organic and we drive the demand of, that means the prices are eventually going to come down for it because there's more money in the industry and they can find a way to produce it cheaper for people. Economics.

Economics. Erica, what's your favorite fruit and or vegetable? Here's the problem. Okay. Strawberries, which are number one on the Dirty Dousin list. Alas. Yes. So I think we're going to have to whip out that baking soda or that extra dollar.

Yeah. Get the organic kind. How about you, Adriana? This is such a tough question. Lately, I've gotten into blueberries. Yes. Because of their antioxidants. But you know what else they're on?

The Dirty Dirty Desson list. What's a girl to do? Well, you know, I like bananas a lot. The potassium. the carbs. Yes. I'm a big banana girl. I've always been.

But when it comes to vegetables, definitely broccoli. Which is not on the dirty dozen list. This is good. So, we had broccoli and cauliflower at dinner tonight. We did. It was really good. It was really good.

We also had schnitzel. Shout out to our friends who made us schnitzel. But how about vegetables? What vegetables do you like? I think that tomatoes count as a vegetables. That is a very hot take. I know, I know. Do you want to explain that? It's a savory, it is a savory plant that can be consumed. To me, that is a vegetable. How do you like your tomatoes served? I like them a lot in salad. Okay. So, chop them up, dress them with olive oil, a little bit of pepper, a little bit of salt. I love that. I like salad capraising. Oh my gosh, me too. So good. That's really good. You know, I used to really hate my fruits and vegetables, Erica, and I feel like I have to make up for that now that I'm older. Yeah.

Do you know what I'm saying? I do. I feel like a lot of kids do go through that phase. I'm happy to hear that because, yeah, I really do try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables now. Maybe I shouldn't because, no, I'm getting hungry. I don't know. And it's hard, too, because we're in a day and age when we're being bombarded with processed foods that are engineered to give you a sugar high or some other kind of flavor. burst immediately.

Yeah. And so it's hard to turn to fruits and vegetables when you have milkshakes and ice cream and fast food burgers. It's really interesting because I have read and I have also found in my own experience that when you limit your sugar intake, fruits and vegetables start to taste better to you because we've gotten so used to the sweetness of sugar that it kind of makes other foods taste mid to use a Gen Z term

but it's true like the more that you have whole foods in your diet the better that they taste because you're less ready like you're less how do you say addicted to the sugar you know what I'm wondering so in the article about soil health

they're talking about how you know you've got phytonutrients you've got flavonoids that are much more highly concentrated in vegetables that came from healthy soil. I'm wondering if those vegetables

are more flavorful as well. Because there's really something to be said for fresh vegetables having more flavor and just being more tasty. If you're having mass-produced tomatoes on really unhealthy soil, they're going to be mealier,

especially if the water content is higher in the vegetable, it doesn't taste as good. It tastes more bland. I think that takes us into another really interesting point because my parents grow tomatoes on their little garden every year. And I have found that those tomatoes are very good. And they actually, like, they taste like something. Yes.

You know what I'm saying? Like when you go to a restaurant and you get a burger, usually the tomato just tastes like water. Yes. If you just eat tomatoes in general, it just tastes like water. But I really like how the article, the soil article, talks about. Does it talk about growing your own? Yeah, it talks about growing your own because it says, quote, nothing is fresher and offers more intact nutrients

and something picked minutes before you eat it. I did not know that. I didn't either. That's really interesting. And it also makes sense because if you buy local fruits and vegetables, especially at a farmer's market, they taste so fresh, they taste so good, if you are buying products that had to be shipped from miles and miles away, they had to be frozen and stored,

and the shelf life starts ticking down immediately, it's not as good by the time it gets to your table. That's true. There's something definitely to be said about growing your own food or buying locally. So what else can we do practically to make sure that we're getting the highest nutritional content and the least pesticides possible from our fruits and vegetables? Well, so we talked about buying organic, if you can, cleaning it with baking soda

if you cannot which fruits are safer which fruits and vegetables are safer to buy conventional which ones maybe are better to buy organic and we talked about growing your own it says in the article something I found interesting use all your senses

when you're shopping for produce Daphne Miller M.D. recommends rely on more than your eyes She says plants interaction with soil and the environment produces strong smells and tastes. These can be markers for higher fighter nutrient levels. They're like mini medicines and are good health and are good for health. So I guess if you're getting like a strong physical impression from the plant as you hold it in your hands. It smells so stupid.

I'm getting really strong. It's giving nutrients. It made a really good impression. The tomato had a strong handshake. A fine boy indeed. But I get what she means. Okay, if it has a strong scent, if it's firm, it's a good vegetable. It's a fine boy.

Yes, a fine boy. Now, there is also the possibility of cutting out fruits and vegetables entirely and becoming a carnivore. There's also some really interesting research on that. We can talk about for a different episode. So true. But I do believe in the antioxidants and the fiber. and the vitamins and minerals that you can get from fruits and vegetables. Like, look at the Mediterranean diet.

Mm-hmm. They live the longest. They live the longest. And why? Because they eat so many vegetables. It's important, guys. Yeah, really important. They eat regeneratively.

We cannot say regenerative. We can't. I don't think anyone can. No one can. I think there is this fear from the fitness community that fruit makes you fat. It doesn't. That's ridiculous. Just because there's simple sugars in it.

Yeah. Like, okay. Like, just, I don't know. I get really annoyed and people want to cut out foods entirely. Because God put fruit on this earth for our health. And as we have discussed this entire episode, fruits are so necessary and so good for you. And, I mean, any food can make you fat if you eat too much of it. Exactly.

Like, why are we coming after fruit like this? So are you going to get a healthy amount of fructose each day? Or are you going to add in like eight cheat days into the month in which you binge a milkshake? Yeah, exactly. And I think a lot of times the people who are saying that fruit is going to make you fat are also eating like heavily processed protein bars. Yes. So like don't do that. I would much rather see us eating natural occurring sugars from fruit than sucralose.

and all kinds of gut, the things that are going to bother your gut health. Fake sugars that bother your gut health. Okay, so what's the bottom line here, Erica? Buy organic, if at all possible, especially when it comes to the vegetables on the dirty dozen list. Make sure we're engaging in thorough washing habits if we want to avoid those pesticides. What else? consider growing your own if you have the space to do so. Or buying locally.

Buy locally, yes. There's always fun farmers markets we have here in Hillsdale in the fall. And I love going because you can see the difference. You can. The fruits, the colors are much more vibrant. They taste really good. I love fruits and vegetables, Erica. Me too.

I'm just so passionate about them. And also take your vitamins. because, yeah, you know, you are still going to get nutrients from your fruits and vegetables, even if it's less than it would be 70 years ago. But it is good a supplement with a multivitamin, just because your body runs best when you're taking them, when you even have enough. And I guess you can't really be perfect in that sort of thing, but you can't always do better. And we shouldn't be disheartened about fruits and vegetables, I don't think,

because I always feel better and more energized if I'm getting a lot of fruits and vegetables into my diet. day to day. So pesticides, no pesticides, eat your fruits and vegetables. Yes, yes. We hope you've enjoyed this episode of The Healing Hour and learned as much as we have today about pesticides, soil health, and how to pick your fruits and vegetables. And if you have any questions for us, feel free to email us at your dose of healing at gmail.com.

That's your dose of healing at gmail.com, all lowercase. We'd be happy to answer your questions for you. And if you have any article suggestions, send them our way. Ah, yes. Tune in next week. I'm your host, Adriana Azarian. And I'm your co-host, Erica Kaiba.