With its wide variety of vegetables, nuts and fish, the Mediterranean diet is often hailed as the healthiest in the world. Previous studies have linked diet to longer life, lower risk of depression, improving heart health, and protecting against dementia. But a new study offers a warning to the growing number of people switching to a plant-based diet: You may increase your intake of pesticides compared to a regular British diet.
The research, published in the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition at the University of Oslo, found that switching from a Western diet to a Mediterranean one resulted in more than three times the total intake of insecticides and organophosphates, the chemicals that poison insects and mammals. When the ingredients of a Mediterranean diet are grown organically, the possibility of pesticide intake can be reduced by around 90 percent, according to research.
The researchers emphasized that the study was small. But with the rise in popularity of plant-based lifestyles, some experts say more research is urgently needed on our use of pesticides and the potential impact on health. Every year the government tests food samples for chemicals to see if traces can be found in British food. Figures released by the British charity Pesticide Action Network (PAN) in September found 122 different pesticides in the 12 most contaminated products, which the charity calls the “dirty dozen.” The research found that 87.2 percent of the grape samples contained pesticide residues, followed by 86.7 percent of oranges and 81.9 percent of nuts such as raisins and sultanas.
In 2018, strawberries topped the U.S. Environmental Working Group (EWG) list of dirty dozens for the third year in a row, after more than 98 percent of produce tested positive for pesticide residues. Spinach, according to the EWG, has more pesticide residues by weight compared to any other product tested; During testing, the group found relatively high concentrations of permethrin, a known neurotoxin, in many samples. Bell peppers and hot peppers were added to the list this year after nearly three-quarters of hot peppers were found to contain traces of highly toxic pesticide residues. According to PAN, washing can remove some of the pesticides left in the fruit, but buying organic food is the best way to avoid consuming it altogether.
The effect of pesticides on our health is still a subject of much debate: the Oslo researchers claim that eating a non-organic Mediterranean diet can weaken people’s immune systems, affect fertility and even stunt the growth of children.
A 2018 University of Paris study published in 68,000 people found that those who ate the most organic foods were 25 percent less likely to get cancer than the group who ate the least, although the study did not prove a causal link and the scientists said could be due to richer, better educated and healthier people choosing organic products.
Experts point to the fact that the EU has one of the most protective pesticide regimes in the world, and the UK’s regime currently mirrors that of the EU. “All foods sold in the UK are tested regularly and must meet very strict rules on pesticide levels to ensure they are safe to eat,” says Helen Bond, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.
Some research suggests that organic fruit may be more nutritious. A study conducted at the University of California compared the levels of phenolic compounds, powerful health-promoting phytochemicals, in strawberries, corn, and Marion berries (a berry similar to a raspberry) in crops grown with chemical pesticides and organic crops. . They found that organically grown corn and berries contained more than 50 percent more of these phenolic compounds than conventional crops. “One theory is that the phytochemical composition in conventional crops is lower than in organic crops, because they do not need to protect themselves from diseases and pests; the weaker, the more protected, the fruit, the less phytochemicals it has, ”says Rosie Letts, a nutritionist from Bristol.
Nutritionists agree that eating non-organically grown fruits and vegetables is preferable to eliminating them entirely. But while adopting a strictly organic diet would take many Brits out of their pockets, there are certain areas where it might be worth making the switch. Letts says that smooth-skinned fruits like strawberries, raspberries, and grapes are often among the worst culprits for pesticide residues. “It’s worth buying organic soft-skinned fruits if you can afford it, although it realistically means eating seasonally and only consuming these items at certain times of the year,” he says.
.