Rule 30 - Eat well grown food from healthy soil.

For this rule, Michael Pollan explains that he avoided the statement to just "eat organic" because: 1) there is food not labeled organic that is raised by organic standards, and 2) not all organic foods are good for you. "Organic soda is still soda - a large quantity of utterly empty calories."

It only makes sense. Healthy soil yields healthy plants. Healthy soil is nourished by organic matter, not chemical fertilizers. It's ideally at a certain pH (acid/base balance) and contains nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium. Spraying with pesticides and herbicides disrupts this pH balance, thus disrupting the fertility and health of the soil (and of the plant).

However, you may recall last July, a controversial British research review, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported that there is no significant difference between organically and conventionally grown produce in 20 of 23 nutrient categories. This study involved a review of 50 years of research, excluding contemporary research - research conducted after national organic standards were established. And, upon further reading, it does reveal that organic food was superior to conventionally in measurements of beta-carotene by 53% and flavonoids by 38%, and phenolic compounds, protein, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur, and zinc. Organic meats and dairy showed a higher level of omega-3 fats by 2.1-27.8%. These may not be statistically significant differences, but there is a difference.

But that's half the story. The review didn't look at what organically-raised food did not contain - pesticide residues. Studies have shown brain-damaging pesticide residues found in urine and saliva samples of children who consumed conventionally-raised produce. Interestingly, after these same children switched to organic foods, the samples contained no pesticide residues after 8-36 hours.

Pesticides are designed to kill bugs, fungi, weeds, pests. The Pesticide Action Network of North America and Commonwealth finds that the average American experiences up to 70 pesticide residues daily. These pesticides can cause:

• nervous system disorders
• immune system suppression
• cancer
• reproductive damage
• disruption of hormonal systems

Scary right? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 47 fruits and vegetables for pesticides. Check out the full list of 47 to see where your favorite fruit/vegetable ranks. To start, avoid the EWG's "Dirty Dozen" -- the twelve that consistently show the highest levels of pesticide residues. There's also the "Clean Fifteen" - the fifteen that have the least pesticide residues even when grown conventionally.

The "Dirty Dozen" list :

1. peach
2. apple
3. bell pepper
4. celery
5. nectarine
6. strawberries
7. cherries
8. kale
9. lettuce
10. grapes (imported)
11. carrot
    
12. pear

Please buy from healthy soil! Here's the wallet guide you can download. It's even a free iPhone application!