Diet for a Poisoned Planet: How to Choose Safe Foods for You and Your Family - The Twenty-first Century Edition [1 ed.] 1560259221, 9781560259220

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DIET for a POISONED

PLANET / / How

Choose Safe Foods for You and Your Family— the Twenty-first Century Edition to

DAVID STEINMAN "A message

we need

to hear,

an important work."

— Frances Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2012

http://archive.org/details/dietforpoisonedpOOstei_0

Healthy Praise for Diet for a Poisoned Planet "Read

this

book! Diet for a Voisoned Vianet

is

most important books on cancer prevention. able and scientifically well-documented

inform readers

how

to avoid the toxic

in their food. I don't

know

among

the nation's

It is a

highly read-

book

that will clearly

and carcinogenic hazards

of any other book that

is

likely to

make such a valuable contribution to cancer prevention. No wonder the agrichemical and food industries and their hacks moved heaven and earth to try and block this important book's publication and distribution to the public."

— Samuel Epstein, M.D., professor of occupational and environmental medicine, University of Chicago "Steinman's guide to safe food and drinking water and the nontoxic

home

It is

important reading for anyone planning

is

the protect-your-health

book we needed years ago. a

pregnancy or

family"

—Erik Jansson, national coordinator, National Network "It

to Prevent Birth Defects

took David Steinman, not responsible

excessive levels of toxins

officials, to reveal that

were endangering people fishing

in

Santa Monica Bay. In this book, he persuasively warns against the pollutants poisoning our people-and offers personal and political

remedies."

—Tom Hayden, California assemblyman "D/>t for a Poisoned Planet will succeed

demand

that

government

allowed our food supply

officials

if it

spurs readers to

stand up to those

who

have

— and environment—to become tainted

with potentially dangerous pesticides, additives, bacteria, and industrial chemicals."

—Michael

F.

Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director.

Center for Science in the Public Interest

"We

agree with David Steinman

when he

says,

Teople have an

inahenable right to control their exposure to toxic chemicals.'"

—Harrowsmith Country

"Facing

a

Life

contaminated food supply and environment, Diet for a

Poisoned Planet helps us

ask the right questions and offers

provocative and useful solutions.

It will

open your

eyes."

—Jay Feldman, national coordinator. National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides

Diet for a Poisoned Planet How to for

Choose Safe Foods

You and Your Family

The Twenty-first Century Edition

David Stein man Foreword by William Marcus, Ph.D.

THUNDER'S MOUTH PRESS

•

NEW YORK

Diet for a Poisoned Planet:

How to

— The

and Your Family

Choose Safe Foods for You

Twenty-first Century Edition

Published by

Mouth

Thunder's

An

245 West 17th

Street,

New York, NY

A V A

Copyright

First

All rights reserved.

No

Press

imprint of Avalon PubHshing Group, Inc.

©

1

1th floor

10011

M

L

1990, 2007 by David Steinman.

published by

Harmony Books

part of this publication

may

in

1990.

be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system in writing

now known

from the publisher, except by

a reviewer

or to be invented, without permission

who

wishes to quote brief passages in

connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

is

available.

ISBN-10: 1-56025-922-1 ISBN-13: 978-1-56025-922-0

98765432 Book

1

design by Bettina Wilhelm

Printed in

Canada

Distributed by Publishers

Group West

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS STATEMENT

NtW LEAF PAPER™

Avalon Publishing Croup saved the following resources by using New Leaf Paper, made with ioo% recycled fiber and 40% post-

consumer waste, processed "^

chlorine free.

greenhouse energy

29 fully

grown

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gallons

million Btu

pounds

pounds

Calculations based on research by Environmental Defense and other

®

waste

©2006 New

Leaf Paper

members of the Paper Task

www.newleafpaper.com

Force.

Contents Foreword by William Marcus, Ph.D.

Introduction

to

the

New

Edition

Introduction

•

ix

•

xi

xxxi

•

ONE An End to

Food Anxiety

•

1

TWO Plant Foods

•

IS

and Fruits

•

33

Grains

•

8S

THREE Vegetables

FOUR

FIVE

Animal Foods

•

113

Meat and Poultry

•

123

Seafood

•

165

Dairy Foods

•

193

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE Eggs

.

223

Prepared Foods

•

233

Beverages

•

26^7

Additives

•

291

Irradiation

•

321

Drinking Water

•

331

The Nontoxic Home

•

399

Pregnancy and Toxic Chemicals

•

439

Baby Foods

•

465

Detoxification

•

477

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN Safe Eating in the Real World

497

Our Food

503

APPENDICES

521

Appendix A: Safe Foods Shopping List

528

Appendix B: Personal Action Guide

530

and

Toxic Chemicals

551

Principal Sources

515

Acknowledgments

591

Index

599

Author

606

POSTSCRIPT Pesticides in

Glossary of Pesticides

About

the

Foreword by William Marcus, Ph.D.

This book will change how you approach the food you every day.

It

may

eat

even change the methods used by our farm

community to produce our food. Written in the tradition of Upton Sinclair's The Jimgle and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Diet for a Poisoned Planet overturns the idea that our food supply is

from

free of contamination

and

clarity,

With

toxic chemicals.

great insight

David Steinman explains which foods promote good

health and which foods are so burdened with poisons that they

adversely affect your health.

To

give

note that

you one indication of how

when

from

far

safe

our food

is,

calculating the "acceptable" levels of carcino-

genic pesticides in food, the Environmental Protection Agency treats each pesticide as if it

exposed. This, of course,

were the only one is

far

from the

cumulative exposure to

many

gerous.

wrong, and

will

I feel

that this

is

to

truth,

which people are and

it

permits

a

pesticides that can be ver}^ danit is

my

hope that

this

book

help persuade our government to address these issues of food

safety.

Cancer, this

we

are told,

is

decreasing. This

book shows, cancer deaths have

risen

is

simply not true. As

from

less

than

1

percent

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

of all deaths in the nineteenth century to at least one out of five deaths (20 percent) in the United States today. Exposure to car-

cinogens can be divided into those about which one can a

made

choice and those that are obligatory. Exposure to carcino-

genic pesticides and other toxins in foods substantially lessened

is

a choice

and can be

by simply following the suggestions con-

tained in this book. Diet for a Poisoned Planet will help

choose the best possible foods that contribute the

least to

you your

body's toxic burden. I

heartily

because

it

recommend

this

can help you cut

book

as required

down your exposure

reading both

to carcinogens

and because by following the steps outlined here you can immediately and dramatically improve your health. toxins have low-level neurotoxic effects.

Many food

Once you

follow

these instructions, feelings of tiredness and lack of clarity of

thought

will

diminish and feelings of general well-being will

return once again.

improved.

The

quality of your

life will

be measurably

—^William Marcus, Ph.D., senior science

advisor,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The foreword by William Marcus is written in his capacity as a private citizen. Anything he has written is his own opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of his employer, the United States Environmental Protection

Agency.

Introduction to the

I

wanted

to

change the world for the

New Edition

better.

My world was poisoned. My Eden was a toxic waste dump. I

knew

this firsthand.

In late winter and spring of 1985, study in which

entific

my small

1

conducted

a

landmark

study team, which consisted of a

medical doctor, biologist, analytical chemist, and myself nahst),

measured the blood

sci-

levels of local

eating fish caught from the Santa

fishermen and

(a

jour-

women

Monica Bay and found

that

those persons eating the most locally caught fish had the highest levels

of industrial pollutants and pesticides.

would have profoundly important cations.

On

a

scientific

The

and

study

we

political impli-

personal note, I'd volunteered myself to have

of pollutants studied, and

levels

levels

of pesticides and industrial pollutants, especially for

age. littie

The

finding struck

old me.

me

at

my

core. It

was not them.

It

my was

I recalled many when I was a teen and would go fishing out of Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach or

That opened floodgates of memory.

happy, long days at sea

on the party boats

my

had remarkably high

blood

I

did

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

sailing

my way

and trolling in the Catalina Channel on

Catalina,

my

of us in

all

caught, and not

to

family consuming the fish that I'd

knowing nor having ever been informed

that

they harbored extraordinary levels of industrial contaminants

some corporate environmental pervert dumped earlier in the 1980s, dolphins

there.

loaded with pollutants washed

whom

up on shore, and the chemist Rich Gossett (with working) documented the tific

A great deal

annals.

Then,

levels to

I

was

be the highest in the scien-

of concern had been expressed about

Monica Bay in Los nobody had the smoking

potential contamination of the Santa

Angeles, but

nobody had the goods

gun evidence. The

work

tional analytical

funded

fish

—

were polluted, we knew, fi-om addi-

that Gossett performed as a publicly

scientist at the

Southern California Coastal Water

Research Project based in

Long

Beach. But nobody had con-

structed the bridge over which the connection

between polluted

Our

fish

would be made

and polluted people. We'd done

it.

study was going to be pubhshed in a peer-reviewed

medical and scientific hterature journal (and eventually would

appear in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry^

vol. 8. no. 10,

we had learned couldn't wait. We all commitment to this ocean. We were all surfers,

1989: 951-56), but what felt a

personal

fishermen, or just plain lovers of the ocean and had lived

around

our

it all

lives

—and we owed something to

If we waited for the sanctity

by then,

it

would be too

of a peer-reviewed pubhcation,

late, all

Santa Monica Bay needed help. luted;

the

dumping

county and

biological

city

steam would be

Our

let off.

local waters

sanitation

departments were

were becoming

and bacterial infections and, in some

The

were pol-

and chemical pollutants into the

waters where swimmers and surfers viral

welfare.

its

areas,

ill

local

with

high rates of

cancers (although not documented in peer-reviewed studies). Yet,

Xll

without

a

smoking gun showing

a direct link

between

David Steinman

pollution and

human health consequences,

We had come to risk everything. We had to act. cleanup.

will, at that time, didn't exist to effect a

to the point

We

to see

Tom

Assemblyman

Hayden,

in his Santa

who urged us to stand up the powers that be and to release the human data. He said, "But do it in a meaningful way where we can get

Monica to

where we had

went

frankly, the poHtical

office overlooking the bay,

most impact.

the

We want to get back at these motherfuckers

for polluting our waters."

Congressional representatives

Mel Levine and Henry

Waxman, both Democrats whose either bordered or alerted.

representative

districts

were close to the Santa Monica Bay, were

Their constituents had already sensitized them to the

pollution problems brewing in their watery backyards.

oceans were bad for tourism,

word out was bad

if

nothing

ties,

one with which,

how not

at that time, I

just

—and much of

to

damage

that

had particularly close

having been given the blood samples of

and fishing shop owners and

Bad

but then getting

for the sport fishing industry

our inner discussion had been on industry,

else,

many

party boat

being an avid fisherman and

reporter.

They had and

it

every reason not to want this information out,

was going to hurt them.

Bill

Nott, president of the

me He named

Sportfishing Association of CaHfornia (SAC), told to

meet with me. Make

it

alone, he said.

descript diner off the freeway in Torrance,

he had a

non-

where he and

I

could talk alone and out of earshot.

Nott had done

a lot as the

SAC's

first

president to keep

He

sport fishing within the reach of everybody. guy,

I

a

good

learned, caught in a difficult situation.

"Facts might be fact," he said. "But tive.

was

Why don't you pick on

polluted. Don't pick

it is all

about perspec-

celery or lettuce? They're just as

on the fishermen. Fish

is

the last of the

Xlll

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

wild foods available to us, and

whole it.

lot healthier

might be polluted but

it

it is

a

—and that stuff has hormones in

than beef

Don't pick on the fishermen."

Democratic representative Henry Waxman, chairman of the Congressional Subcommittee

ment, requested that

Kelter,

an expert witness at a hearing

I testify as

Monica on February

to be held in Santa

On

on Health and the Environ-

or around February

10.

received a

I

9,

from Alex

call

M.D., chief of the Environmental Health Hazard

Assessment for the State Department of Health Services, and

warned of

from the

associate

his

me

DDT

in

and

in

office

state

Sacramento. Kelter

no uncertain terms about linking the high its

DDE

metabolites such as

pesticides manufactured

levels

(two now-banned

from petroleum and chlorine that are

highly toxic to wildlife and humans) and polychlorinated

biphenyls (PCBs) that

with cancer.

Many

we were

finding in

men and women

experimental studies had already hung

these chemicals as carcinogens, and the literature was about to

explode with

human tissue and

case-control studies linking the

chemicals with breast cancer. "You're going to cause people to panic. I'm

warning you. Don't mention

tence as cancer."

The day

I

remember

at the civic hall

fish

told the

had

to

Waxman

biphenyls, or

's

committee.

PCBs,

ate the

most

DDT)

local

DDE (a

and for polychlorinated

a type of widely used fire retardant that

was weaker.

two chemicals with

XIV

auditorium

were three to four times higher for

dispersed into the waters of the bay;

of potential

The

was filled with concerned people and the media.

metabolite of the pesticide

it

will always.

committee that the people who

levels that

although

and

of the hearing, the four members of our research

team were presented

I

that call

DDT in the same sen-

I said

was

we also found a correlation,

experimental studies linked these

cancer. Experimental studies are indicators

human harm, and we

should take them seriously,

I

David Steinman

said. I also

pointed out that our own testing blew to smithereens

the idea that sport fish were any safer than commercially

caught

fish.

who

"For anybody

thinks the white croaker are

any different in markets than they are from the nonsense,"

piers, that's

Kelter was put on the hot seat and said

I testified.

the state could consider restricting harvesting fish fi-om certain areas (a restriction that would be put in place for white croaker).

Hayden

called our findings "Neptune's revenge."

Television

our

bay,

news was big on the case

fish,

news

local

dios after the hearing.

We

one heady moment, we at least

our hometown

Loma Linda

clean

felt

—

—and

live in

Los Angeles, and

we were changing

the world

—or

was well connected with

his residency.

to that day

and that hearing, the

political will to I felt

created a tsunami of goodwill for the city of angels.

There was no question

Monica

for

for the better. I did a lot of interviews,

up the Santa Monica Bay had been coalesced, and

we had

like

was our

University and Glendale Adventist Hospital

where he had done

Thanks

it

outlets did feedbacks to the stu-

were

didn't hurt that our physician

it

after all

and where our kids swam and surfed

everyone from the

and

—

that

we needed

to clean

up the Santa

Bay.

People were being poisoned by the locally caught seafood,

and several of the contaminants most tissues

were proven to cause cancer

up

likely to build

in their

in experimental studies

and quite possibly would do so among the fishermen and

women,

too, I said. It

was the kind of research that enabled

Heal the Bay to pressure public

activist

groups

initiate

dramatic policies to clean up our local bay.

like

officials to It also

hurt

the sport fishing industry for a while, I'm afraid. People devel-

oped

a

phobia of eating the local catch.

Soon portions of the Bay were declared site.

a federal

superfand

Polluting companies were assigned Habifity in the court

XV

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

system, and plans to clean

up the most polluted

areas

were put

into place.

Public education campaigns were conducted that educated

about the hazards of dumping hazardous chem-

local residents

storm drains that emptied into the

icals into

In the aftermath of

all

of the attention,

bay.

learned that people

I

had plenty of questions. They didn't want to lot of

feel helpless.

A

nervous people were out there suffering from food anx-

They needed to know what was safe to eat. If locally caught seafood wasn't, how about seafood from other areas of the

iety.

How

country?

about farmed salmon?

and vegetables? I

What

How about our terrestrial

followed up this seminal study with

on an assignment with the Arizona duce our award-winning

series

fruits

flesh foods?

more

Republic

about our

research.

I

took

and helped to pro-

The Poison Within.

I

traveled to

Nogales, Arizona, to view border inspections for imported produce.

I

remember

down

driving

to

Newport and buying

a

big black cod from a skiff fisherman and having that big fish

measured for

pesticides. It

had so much

tively lax federal regulatory guidelines

Down

been sold to the public. kets,

it

by even

rela-

should never have

San Pedro,

at the fish

mar-

white croakers were a big catch, and they were almost as

polluted. Bonito for ceviche

caught swordfish, and

all

all,

my own bay,

was popular and so was the

were polluted according to

ratory testing. Back then after

in

DDT

too,

it

locally

my labo-

me because this was, my father and I sailed on our

was sad to

where

sloop over to the Channel Islands and fished from the seas for barracuda and

went skin diving and where we speared

or trolled for enormous sharks and caught. to the

It

was

my world

and

it

we

certainly ate

fish

what we

had gotten screwed up.

I

went

San Joaquin Valley and met with farm workers and

farmers whose lives had been destroyed by pesticides, people

XVI

1

David Steinman •.

whose children were born without Hmbs or who developed cancer.

Other members of our team brought home

similarly

gut-wrenching stories from Louisiana and other regions of the country.

I

even went to Nogales and saw

trucks, passing into

planet was poisoned,

we

all

needed

do

to

lines of

maybe

was,

I

maybe we

all

new

consciousness. First,

severity of the problem, though. I

had to take

gold off our polluted food supply and show it

That was the genesis

was.

were, and

detox as a people and a nation,

a collective

and maybe we could do some of that detox with started to create a

produce

America and largely not inspected. The

book

a

we had

to see the

the glitter and

all it

that

naked for what

for Diet for a Poisoned Planet's

investigation into the safety of our food supply. I

did not

didn't

want

know then

me

that extremely powerful interests

to write about the chemicals in

foods or

thei?'

to discuss the health impHcations of these chemicals' presence.

They had

a big

beef against

then and maybe wished I'd had a

meant

head down the road

to

down

have gone

it,

would be

a

in

luting bad corporate actor industries

full

no doubt, but

marked man

and lobbies

in

it

understanding of what

it

I

did not

was heading.

I

and been more protective of my I

know

naked lunch.

a

I

could have

interests.

my

life

I

From

think I'd

still

known more that point

on

to just about every pol-

from two of the most powerful

Washington (food and

agriculture)

and one powerful White House bent on making sure

I

and

every sympathizer from within would shut up or be silenced.

Maybe

I

should have picked up

taken a big on,

I

I

hunk

in

my

mouth.

a stick

didn't

I

would have to be defiant or

else

had already gone through the

of chewing

know

that

gum

and

from then

be crushed.

fiery congressional hearing

with regard to the Santa Monica Bay.

I

thought

I

was prepared

would happen with publication of the Diet for a Poisoned Planet. I had just gotten a great blurb fi*om Dr. Michael for

XVI

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Jacobson, director of Center for Science in the Public Interest,

who said he was "excited" over its release. Hayden and Waxman, of course, had helped, too. So had Frances Moore Lappe,

lots

of good people. But

publication was already a

its

monster, and events were out of

my

control.

Fd

just

have to

hold on for the ride.

Long

before the

book was published, word had gotten out

to key industry sources, fight Diet.

swanky

and they had decided that they had to

That was thanks

California

to a fantastic

June 1990 excerpt

magazine with Greg

He

Critser.

together a landmark issue about organic foods and

in

put

how it was

my article of me brooding

going to grow the California farm economy, and

"How I Came

Clean," complete with pictures

on the beach, was the big Kahuna

in the center of the

crosshairs of the political hit man's gun.

In the California excerpt,

growers continued to use

noted, the California raisin

I

a pesticide called dicofol that

contaminated with the banned pesticide about every box of

DDT. As

was

a result, just

our children took in their

raisins that

lunches contained fresh residues of a pesticide that had been

banned

United States almost two decades

for use in the

There was no arguing with the obtained

my

laboratory testing

with both dicofol and

DDE.

Every

raisin

residues, I noted.

food

—one

certified to

DDE tissues

right)

XVlll

earlier.

all, I

had

by making Freedom of Information Act

results

requests to the federal

own

data, either. After

Food and Drug Administration whose showed that raisins were contaminated

DDT and

had about

As

its

various metabolites such as

six to

seven different pesticide

a result, I rated raisins as a "red light"

that should not be

consumed,

be grown organically.

I

unless, of course,

pointed out that

DDT and

were cancer-causing chemicals and building up and that dicofol (potentially cancer-causing in

was the backdoor entryway

in

its

for fresh residues of

our

own

DDT

T David Steinman

and

DDE

to enter the diet.

This was too much of the naked

truth again, this time for Cahfornia's raisin growers. Instead of

trying to do something about the

problem (such

as finding a

safe substitute for dicofol), they decided that the

messenger

They went at it with a vengeance. There was no end of money they were going to spend

should be beheaded.

defend their precious shriveled nuggets.

to

A few years earHer, in

1986, the raisin growers had begun airing

TV

commercials

using the Cahfornia Dancing Raisins. So popular were these characters, brought to "life" through claymation, that they

been invited to perform

at the

White House Easter Egg

had Roll

and Christmas Tree Lighting and in the Macy's Thanksgiving

Day

Parade.

They even

starred in their

own

CBS

mation Christmas Celebration," on the work. Raisin

"A Clay-

special,

television net-

had increased some 17 percent during

sales

this

period as well.

On

Sunday, September

friend. "You're

2,

1990,

wanted now," she

I

woke up

from

to a call

said. I didn't like the

a

sound

of her voice.

"Go

to the newsstand.

Get the Chronicle-Examiner

In an article in the San Francisco combined issue of the

Chronicle-Examiner that

of Los Angeles,

I

I

picked up in Highland Park, outside

read about

how the McClatchy News

was reporting from Fresno that "the piling

ammunition

raisin industry is stock-

for a battle to defend the raisin's

^nature's candy' against a

book

Service

that calls

it

the

most

image

as

pesticide-

laden food people can eat."

The

California Raisin Advisory Board

(CALRAB) had

voted the week before in a one and one-quarter hour closed session to spend

some $558,000

in a

campaign targeted

at

fighting Diet for a Poisoned Planet, reported the paper.

A

lot

was

$400 million

at stake.

The

industry produced up to around

a year in raisins,

and

raisins

were second only to

XIX

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

cotton for value in Fresno County. Half a million to spend on

some smart mouth was a drop in the bucket, especially when you had rich friends and associates who knew how to squish bugs

little

—or plant them.

The problem, as I saw it, was The raisin growers had gotten a came

that I

little bit

as I

it

bit or else

their guts that the public could

The

They

didn't like

how

only image they wanted of their

vaunted chemical crop was that of dancing hell,

one

like it

when

of dicofol was not dan-

never stomach that line of reasoning. the whole thing smelled.

telling the truth.

whiff of that truth

and they didn't

to their crop,

maybe they thought that a gerous. They also knew in

was

raisins. I

was

raisin

and they thought I should shut up. That was the problem

saw

it.

As they saw

David Steinman was the problem. They

it,

intended to do everything possible to make this book dead on arrival.

That was what Kriegel of

I

learned from a personal note from Bruce

CALRAB.

Funny, the envelope

it

came

wasn't stamped yet ended up in a mailbox outside If

you want

to get

me, come on.

I

was ready,

I

inside of

my home. told friends

and supporters.

The firm

raisin

growers hired the controversial public relations

Ketchum

purpose was to put their

But then, Ketchum

wrong

campaign whose

to initiate a disinformation

is

clients' profits

known

over consumer health.

for historically being

on the

side of just about every environmental issue possible.

"According to the O'Dwyer's Directory of

Ketchum

is

the sixth largest pubUc relations

PR

company

Firms, in the

United States, receiving net fees of over $50 miUion per year," report John Stauber and Sheldon

XX

Damn

and

Rampton

Good for

You: Lies,

(Monroe,

ME: Common Courage Press,

Lies

in Toxic Sltidge Is

the Public Relations Industry

1995). "Headquartered

— David Steinman

in

New York

food

clients,

Ketchum

City,

number of corporate

represents a

including Dole Foods, Wendy's, the Potato Board,

Oscar Mayer Foods, Miller Brewing, Kikkoman, H. the Beef Industry Council, the

J.

Heinz,

CaHfomia Almond Board, and

the California Raisin Advisory Board. In addition to writing

and organizing news conferences, Ketchum

press releases

aggressively markets

its

In

fact, as

Stauber and

'crisis

Rampton noted

PR

boasted of its experience handling

Superfand

a

specifically, "In a

Services Report,

Ketchum

PR problems ranging 'from

toxic waste crises to low-level nuclear wastes,

relations at

management,'

PR industry."

O'Dwyer's

profile written for

in

services

growing specialty within the

sites to scientific

from community

meetings where issues

hke toxicology of pesticides are reviewed.'"

My work was

a crisis.

Early in the

my book had been excerpted in

summer

of 1990, after

magazine and shown

California

that the California raisin growers

were

DDT on

a pesticide called dicofol,

their crop in the

form of

basically

still

using

Betsy Gulhckson, senior vice president at Ketchum, was called in.

Gullickson

is

considered an expert in "food marketing

strategic counsel,"

and

my book

was the type of

"crisis" that

she was hired to manage.

Her 1990 memo

outlined a plan to assign "broad areas of

responsibility," such as "intelligence/information gathering,"

Ketchum employees and to Gary Obenauf of CALRAB. Months before the publication of Diet for a Poisoned Planet, Ketchum sought to "obtain [a] copy of [the] book galto specific

leys or

manuscript and publisher's tour schedule."

"All 7,

1990,

documents

.

.

.

memo from Gullickson. "Make

—are so stamped.

even notes to yourself have

a shredder; give

warned

are confidential,"

documents

a

September

sure that everything .

.

.

Remember that we

to Lynette for shredding. All

conversations are confidential, too. Please be careful talking in

XXI

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

the halls, in elevators, in restaurants, etc. All suppliers must sign confidentiality agreements. If to the client, another office or to

them know

that a fax

is

you

documents

are faxing

anyone

else, call

them

coming. If you are expecting a

to let

fax,

you

or your account coordinator should stand by the machine and wait for

it.

anybody

We

don't want those documents lying around for

to pick up."

Gullickson recommended that spokespeople "conduct one-

on-one briefings/interviews with the trade and general con-

sumer media issue.

.

in the markets

most acutely interested

in the

The [Ketchum] agency is currently attempting to get we can 'shadow' Steinman's appearbest scenario: we will have our spokesman in town prior .

.

a tour schedule so that

ances;

to or in conjunction with Steinman's appearances."

A

second

PR

firm

—Edelman Worldwide—

with additional funds from other groups.

^was also hired

The American

Council for Science and Health (ACSH) joined the a July 12, 1990, three-page letter to John

for the first

sumers" and "may pose also said

would inquire Agency,

as to

if any, is

it

In

Sununu, chief of staff

Bush White House, the head of the group

was concerned about people who "specialize

The group

fi'enzy.

said she

in terrifying con-

a future threat to national security."

would be of "immeasurable help

what

role the

if

you

Environmental Protection

playing in promoting books such as Diet for a

Poisoned Flanet^

In an August 7 letter fi-om to

Ede Holiday who was

assistant

Chief of Staff John Sununu, the White House informed the

ACSH that in fact a representative of the EPA had been found to have written the foreword for Diet for a Poisoned Planet. I

had enlisted the aid of WiUiam Marcus, Ph.D., entific

advisor to the federal

a top-level sci-

Environmental Protection

Agency, to write the foreword; even though Marcus was speaking as

XXll

a private citizen,

thanks to the witch hunt that the

David Steinman

White House

initiated,

he was

fired fi-om his position (and

with back pay, thanks to union intervention,

later reinstated

noting he had a right to speak his mind as

which he had

clearly

done

a private citizen,

in the book).

Meantime, Crown received

a letter fi*om the politically

Gump,

connected Washington, D.C., law firm of Akin, Strauss,

&

Hauer

Feld threatening legal action

books

if all

were not removed from bookstores. The federal Department of Agriculture began a series of phone to

calls to all

warn producers against having me on I left for

my book tour

At the time

I also

media

outlets

their shows.

and was booked on the Today Show.

represented the pubHc interest on the safe

seafood committee of the National

Academy of

Sciences.

had been charged with advising Congress on enacting

We

legisla-

make our seafood supply safer, and we were in the process of finishing up our book Seafood Safety that the National Academy Press pubHshed a year later. We were one of the first publicly funded research groups to warn against tion to

chronic exposure to methylmercury and other chemical poisons from our seafood.

I

taped an interview for the Today Show

with then host Deborah Norville and discussed the hazards of

consuming swordfish, which have perhaps the highest methylmercury bearing age.

I

in the diet, particularly

against

women

of

of child-

had high

levels of

toxin. Today, of course,

warnings

added that swordfish

PCBs, another reproductive

by

levels

also

consuming swordfish and other seafood items with

high levels of methylmercury and in supermarkets

PCBs

are routinely provided

and in government Hterature since we know

that in utero exposure to both this heavy metal and this bromi-

nated chlorine rob our children of their

opment. Indeed, for more than

full intellectual

devel-

a decade, researchers Stanley

and Sandra Jacobsen had been following Great Lakes children exposed to

PCBs

during their mother's pregnancy and have

XXlll

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

documented

that developmental defects at birth (reduced ges-

tation, small

head circumference, and lower birth weight)

have persisted into intelligence

deficits

now

and behavioral prob-

lems even into their later years. Today had the opportunity to help millions of

women

to

avoid a potentially dangerous chemical, high exposures of

which during pregnancy rob the developing important health information, but

They had been

fetus of

its fullest

They could have been in the vanguard

intellectual potential.

my

segment never

of

aired.

contacted by either the federal government's

PR firms and against airing my informa-

Department of Agriculture, the ACSH, or other business interests and were warned tion;

of course, some advertising could be pulled. Don't knock

the food supply was their message to the producers at the

show, and they caved.

I

wanted to help people; that part of my

mission had just gotten tougher.

Why was

this

information important?

the chemicals

you

rationale at

all

about improving-your

nation and

its

people.

are ingesting

Our

is

Of course, knowing

important life

if

you seek any

and the health of our

dietary choices profoundly affect

not only our health but also the health of

all

of our children

and of our planet.

Many of the

chemicals detailed in Diet for a Poisoned Planet

were clearly recognized carcinogens

and

neurotoxins,

increasing risk of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. In addition,

many such

chemicals were coming

known as xenoestrogens, substances that act much like the female hormone estrogen when absorbed into the human body and that have been shown to potentially cause reproductive damage among our own babies, including undeto be

scended

testicles,

increased

risk

of

testicular

premature menarche (onset of puberty in aberrations in

XXIV

girls),

cancer,

and even

normal general and gender-specific behavior, as

David SteiNxMan

well as declining ability to cope with stressful or difficult real-

and events.

ities

In addition,

many

—such

food supply

from

oil.

Our

of the most dangerous chemicals in the

as dicofol

—were and are today produced

extreme, often unnecessary, reliance on these

chemicals for food production was serving to fuel our lennium's dependency on foreign

new mil-

oil.

By making informed food shopping decisions then, consumers could have been empowered to avert our dependency on oil, particularly

from

hostile

governments and regions; war in Iraq in

2003 might have been averted strongly early

if consumers

on through books

But money was

all

had been empowered

like Diet for

a Poisoned Planet.

that mattered with the raisin growers

who were

and the food and agriculture chemical industries

interested in preserving their sales of chemicals and chemically

contaminated foods.

They simply

were increasing the

didn't care that they

risk

of cancer in our children, polluting our environment and drinking water, thwarting ally

would be good

new market development

for their stodgy industries, or

that actu-

weakening

U.S. national security. In

fact, I

paign from a disgruntled

documents from the In

a

long

Ketchum camstaff person who secreted out many

learned the inside details of the

PR

letter, this

firm's offices.

whistle-blower told

me

that the firm

had allegedly paid former surgeon general C. Everett Koop to speak out against the book tacted Koop); he said that public.

He

said

(it is

I

known

he had no problem with

eating peanut butter (another food the end of the story.

trashed the in

USA

No

more

that the

ACSH

con-

was unnecessarily scaring the

I

his

own grandchildren

had singled

out); that

was

discussion was required, and he

book completely and

told

America our food

Today in an interview with Barbara Reynolds.

I

is

safe

threw

XXV

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

down

the paper and felt

what?

I

my

blood

rise to

my

told friends. Safe for the farm workers

head. Safe for

who

picked our

crops and whose children were being born without limbs

because of their parents' exposures to thalidomide-like chemicals

such as captan? Safe for the farmers whose rates of non-

Hodgkin's lymphoma were several times higher than normal

due to their exposure to phenoxy herbicides such

were laced with cancer in

atrazine,

which was shown

human populations?

as

whose drinking water

Safe for Midwestern residents

Safe for

2,4-D? supplies

to cause ovarian

women who were

accu-

mulating organochlorine pesticide residues in their breast sues and for

whom

their risk of breast cancer

tis-

was increased

over normal rates? Safe for the offspring of mothers living in the Great Lakes region

whose

tissues

had accumulated PCBs

and whose children were being born with significant IQ and neurological deficits? Safe for our wildlife that were exhibiting disturbing abnormaHties such as blurred sex organs that were

neither distinctly male or female, very possibly due to the feminizing effects of organochlorine pesticides such as

DDT?

Weren't these organizations or so-called experts even thinking about farm workers or our environment? Did they even care?

Or

did brown-skinned people not really count?

And what

of

our children? Didn't they know that cancer was the leading killer

of children under age fifteen

rates

were increasing?

—and that childhood cancer

What world were Koop, Ketchum, and

the rest of their cronies living in? Didn't they care about other

people?

Or

did they want us to accept a vision for American

that included poisoning ourselves I

from within?

was in Washington, D.C., next and met with Devra Lee

Davis, Ph.D.

A scholar in

residence at the National

Academy

of Sciences, Davis was a world-renowned epidemiologist

whose own major, peer-reviewed increasing cancer rates

XXVI

among

scientific

work pointed up

to

the industrialized nations and

David Steinman

among middle-aged Americans and Europeans, trend that she, hke part, to the rising

I did,

beHeved was

chemical exposures

a disturbing

attributable, at least in

we

face.

My work and conclusions drawn thereon were facing enormous opposition from the agrichemical and food industries, and we talked one afternoon about what was at stake. I told her about all of the many trumped-up charges that I was defaming raisins and peanuts, for God's sake. It's the way they work, she said. I

had to be tough, she added. She'd seen

Mary Amdur grew up where

in Pennsylvania's

coal-fired plants

cants into the

cancer at age

before, too.

Monongahela

visible

and

Valley,

invisible toxi-

She had seen her own father die of lung

air.

forty.

tant professor

spewed both

it

at

Amdur eventually went to become

an

assis-

Harvard Medical School. She started

studying the effects of chronic low-level exposures to the

heavy metal lead that was being used

At the time,

as

an additive in gasoline.

in the 1950s, the lead industry, led

by Ethyl Cor-

poration, claimed that low-level exposures to lead were not

dangerous. Yet,

Amdur

's

work demonstrated

lead exposures were, in fact, dangerous.

As

that low-level

a result, she

had

to

go up against some of the wealthiest and most immoral com-

when

panies in the nation. At one point,

men

in an elevator,

cize the results of her work," Davis later reported in her

When Smoke Ran

Like Water.

forty years later she

The

remembered

were about to close around

men

two

confronted her and "signaled that she should not publi-

my

book

incident haunted her, and "feeling as

though hands

neck" when those two strange

confronted her in the elevator.

Amdur was

defiant,

though, and continued her research.

Harvard toxicologist and psychiatrist Herbert Needleman also

went through

sive evidence that

hell.

Needleman's studies provided conclu-

even low-level lead exposures lead reduced

childhood intelligence and induced aberrant behavior. His

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

work was published

in the prestigious

New England Journal of

Medicine in 1979, and, although other researchers had already

begun showing these effects, the difference was that Needleman's work showed damage not only occurred among

among

the poor or racial minorities or

who were

children

poorly mothered but also that the deficits of brain function

were occurring among middle-class white children

do

families.

With

removed from

gasoline, the International

in well-to-

were to be

billions of dollars at stake if lead

Lead Zinc Research

Organization hired more than one dozen scientists to discredit

Needleman's work and even accused him of the serious charge of scientific misconduct in performing his studies. This harass-

ment of Needleman went on lication of his totally

landmark

for

and

results

removed from gasoline

Like

more than

a

decade after pub-

after lead

in the mid-1980s.

Amdur and Needleman,

I

was going up against some

of the most powerful interests in the country. intent

on

a brutal disinformation

ticated, well connected,

the tobacco industries,

In the South,

crop was

—and

They were

campaign that was

and insidious

Amdur

was almost

as

as sophis-

any such campaign by

said.

was attacked by the peanut growers

I

—one

remains today

(their

of the most pesticide-

contaminated in the entire food supply). In Colorado,

my

I

was attacked by the cattiemen who decried

reporting on the use of growth-stimulating drugs in beef

production. It

became

a free-for-all.

My book was a best seller in Seattle

and lauded in San Francisco and Vermont.

began coming out and

There

are

two

In the world that

sales

took

Good

reviews

off.

parallel universes in this country, I learned. I

envisioned, people cared about each other

and that meant they cared about what kind of chemicals were being used to grow their food, because they recognized the

XXVlll

David Steinman

profound implications that their

own shopping

decisions have

not only for their personal health but also for their children,

and our world. In the other universe,

their communities,

people conveniently disconnect themselves from their responneighbors, to their communities, and, most of

sibility to their all,

to our children's future.

Diet for a Poisoned Planet, together with

National

Academy of Sciences, made

my work

at the

a difference to shape the

world.

Today,

women

of childbearing age are routinely warned

against eating certain kinds of seafood due to contamination

with heavy metals and pesticides. Fishing in certain areas of Santa Monica Bay was restricted to prevent dangerously poisoned fish

ethnic markets.

The

The bay

is

from being delivered

marketplace for organically grown food

a healthy

pace and

is

to

also cleaner than ever before. is

growing

at

contributing to the exciting growth in the

food industry. Ironically, the tries

book

that the food and agrichemical indus-

so vehementiy opposed helped to give birth to the

organic food industry, which egories in the food industry.

is

one of the

fastest

More and more

growing

cat-

certified organic

farmers are protecting the tradition of the family farm, and has created

more

it

business and profits for the agricultural and

food industries. Progressive raisin growers like Dole undertook a pledge to eliminate dicofol

from

products.

their

(Sun-Maid Raisins

my own laboratory

claims to have eliminated dicofol; however, testing

shows that Sun-Maid Raisins do

dicofol

and could be involved

and deception

But

New

let's

at worst, as

face

it.

The

I'll

still

have traces of

in public disinformation at best detail in this edition.)

planet

is

poisoned.

It

needs our help.

dangerous chemicals have replaced some of the older

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

more signs and symptoms of our petrochemical dependency as more and more food is packaged ones, and

we

are seeing

We

in plastic instead of glass. tective of

our national

safer replacements

must be ever and

interests,

whenever

it is

possible.

and pro-

vigilant

in our interest to find

That

is

good

for

you

and good for our nation. Today,

Freedom

I

am

Press,

the father of three children. Today,

which publishes the popular

run the

tion for

Healthy Living, as well as books on national politics, sex,

health,

and many other

Today, our world

topics.

more

is

our work cut out for

polluted than ever and

We

us.

have to do what

on even against extreme odds.

carry

and we see

how

it

extreme odds. For

could be.

many

We

We

must

all

this

I

do know

coming clean

this. If is

you read

when

they see

this

how

if it is

Sometimes, people it.

is

one answer.

in

how you

nation requires no

less.

book, you will see

why

so important to your long-term health and

your children's future, and for the planet.

it is,

book, you can help to

Our

detoxify yourself and our nation.

—and

be defiant against

of us, extreme green

approach the information in

we have

right

is

see the world as

But whether you are extreme or moderate

Los Angeles, California

good

just don't

Here's a good thing.

David Steinman

XXX

I

Doctors' Prescrip-

it is

good

know a good

thing

for you,

Introduction

I

WANT TO

me. I

tell

you

a story.

grew up near the ocean

name

a true story,

and

it

happened

I

loved fishing

to

could happen to you, too.

It

since

It's

I

was

it,

I

in

Los Angeles, and

a teenager. Pier fishing, surf casting, party boats

did

it.

And

like

most fishermen

I ate

what

I

—you

caught.

In April 1985, signs appeared at piers and on the beaches of the county of

Los Angeles:

WARNING Eating fish caught in Santa Monica Bay

may be

health because of chemical contamination. the fish called white croaker, king

I

was shocked.

I

wanted

to

I'd

been eating

know more.

How

fish,

locally

You should not

eat

or torn cod.

caught sport

fish for years.

Was

I

was pretty upsetting.

I

dangerous were these

going to die from having eaten them? felt like a

harmfiil to your

It

fish?

victim.

Newspaper reports eventually revealed

that

DDT-laced waste

sludge from a pesticide manufacturing plant had for years been

dumped

in the area

of Santa Monica Bay

To keep

the barrels

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

containing waste from floating and creating navigation haz-

workers hacked them open before dumping them.

ards, barge

The fish

contents of those barrels had accumulated in the bodies of

feeding in these waters for years.

Now they were accumu-

lating in the bodies of people eating those fish.

At the time

I

was writing for

editor there to support

new approach by

me

fish

my

in doing a study with a completely

who

ate a lot of

My aim was to find out just how dan-

were.

The answer was

even worse than

ate a lot of sport fish

had serum

ten times higher than people

Taking

tested, too.

Weekly. I persuaded

testing the blood of people

locally caught sport fish.

gerous the

LA

my

I

expected. People

DDT and PCB

who

did not.

age into account,

I

I

who

levels six to

had

my

blood

had one of the

highest levels in the study group.

This news stunned me,

as

you may imagine.

wondering how many other poisons were started

me

why government

asking

It started

me

in the foods I ate. It

officials,

who had known

about the dumping for years, had withheld the information so long. It started this I

me

doing the research that eventually became

book.

wanted

research

I

to get rid of the poisons in

my

body. All the

saw indicated that the higher the levels of pesticides

and industrial pollutants cancer and other diseases.

in the blood, the higher the risk of I didn't

unknowingly eaten tainted

want

to get sick

from having

fish for years.

My first step in cleaning up my body was to determine how toxins get into

it

in the first place. Finding the answer to that

question was not easy. In the past fifteen years, I've

dreds of requests under the

government

made hun-

Freedom of Information Act

for

studies about the safety of our food. I've looked at

tens of thousands of chemical analyses of foods. I've analyzed

government

XXXll

studies of

hundreds of foods and sources of water

David Steinman

which have the highest

to find out

levels

of toxins in them,

which the lowest. American farmers have used ever-increasing doses of pesticides for decades, and the combination of histor-

doses in the

ical

and fresh doses on every crop can make

soil

eating an undesirably risky business. But, fortunately,

I

was

many Pow-toxin, safe foods that can be found in any supermarket. And I was able to single out the worst foods the ones we must stay away fi-om. able to identify

—

America's waters are polluted, too, by the runoff from pes-

and by industrial wastes. Fish caught in some waters are

ticides

simply too dangerous to

many

eat.

But again,

I

was able to identify

seafoods of absolute purity.

As

I

pubhshed the

journals, I

was

results of

thrilled

my research

by the responses

in

magazines and

I got.

People were

know what I was learning. Across the country, people knew they were ingesting toxic chemicals from their diets, but there was no way for them to find out which were the safe eager to

foods and which ones were dangerous.

I

began to see how

I

could help other people relieve their food anxiety and take the

same

steps

I

was taking

for safety. I

had

studies, I felt better than I ever

had

After switching to a diet consisting of the safe foods

my

learned about fi-om before.

I lost

weight;

tently better spirits;

without fatigue. also

knew

as well,

But

that

I

I

I

had more energy and was

my work

was

feeling. I

finally

felt

in consis-

could concentrate longer on

rarely got sick. It

was

and that

I

I

a

wonderful

doing something to save our planet

good, too.

couldn't stop wondering whether the chemical toxins

lodged in

my body years before were still in there,

ting the stage for diseases.

program, and

it

So

I

possibly set-

created an active detoxification

worked wonders. After detoxing, the

DDT

in

PCBs

decreased 90 percent. This

my body

was reduced by 70 percent. The is

astonishing

level

of

level

of

when you XXXIll

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

consider

how

high the levels had been, and that only a couple

of years ago most scientists believed

it

was impossible to

rid

your body of these toxic chemicals once they had accumulated in

your

fat.

The

safe foods

of toxic chemicals I

think of

as a

it

—that

is

and detox basically

a lifetime's

You

It

can

what

I've

accumulation

put in

this

book.

message of hope. Combining careful food

decisions with active detox has changed

yours, too.

me.

for

show you how.

help you, too. Fll

How to find

program worked

active detox

will feel different.

my life.

It

can change

Let your body do the

talking.

There's a lot of bad news in here about poisons in our food. It

may seem

discouraging. But I've got to

tell

you what's dan-

gerous in order to point you to the foods that are

And

there

is

lots

of great,

love to eat, and what's in here

follow the principles of what diet, you'll eat

food that

the extra assurance of

is

not

I call

tastes

your body and your mind,

safe.

safe, delicious food. Believe

I

you

the low-toxin, high-energy

wonderful and

as well as for

knowing

me,

a deprivation diet. If

that's great for

our planet. You'll have

that you're not accumulating

more twentieth- and twenty-first-century poisons with every bite you take. And you'll know that by spending your food dollars on safe foods you're sending a message to industry in support of nontoxic farming and animal-raising methods. liberating feeling.

XXXIV

It's

a

very personal

way

It's

to save our planet.

a

ONE An End

to

Food Anxiety

It seems like we've heard nothing but bad news about foods for the past few years. pesticides

You know

—dangerous

the whole sad Htany

on apples and other produce,

industrial toxins in tap

water and bottled water, pesticides and sulfa drugs in milk and

some kinds of meat, ethylene dibromide

in grains, natural deadly

toxins and microorganisms in fish and shellfish.

seems that nothing

is

safe to eat,

and that we

Sometimes

live in a

it

constant

state of food anxiety.

But you must not cious food to eat. it.

That's

why

And

feel helpless.

for

There

is

plenty of safe, deH-

your own well-being, you need to find

I've written this

—to make

book

it

easy for you to

provide safe meals for yourself and for your family and friends.

Based on more than

fifteen years

of research on chemical and

natural toxins in foods, I've learned that significantly the

it's

possible to cut

amount of chemical poisons we

down

take in as well as

our exposure to potentially deadly biological microorganisms

and natural poisons, and by doing so to reduce our chances of serious illness that these natural and biological microorganisms can cause.

what

I call

human-made

toxins and

This can be done through

the low-toxin, high-energy diet. This

is

a

program

I

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

have designed to help you eHminate cals

from your

diet,

many dangerous chemi-

avoid the diseases these toxins can cause,

improve your health, and increase your energy

The

basic idea of the diet

is

very simple.

reduce your intake of dangerous chemicals

level.

The is

best

way

foods that have the highest levels of pesticides and other

and cut them right out of your

to

to identify the

Hfe, often replacing

toxifis

them with

and more nutritious organically grown alterna-

even

tastier

tives.

In the chapters ahead

you which ones

are free

which ones are so high

I

analyze hundred of foods and

from or low

in toxic chemicals,

in chemical toxins that

tell

and

you should

avoid eating them.

Animal

fats are a

industrial chemicals

primary route by which

and pesticides enter our bodies, so the

low-toxin, high-energy diet

is

high in plant foods and low in

fatty

meats and dairy foods. By eating

and

grains,

cutting

many man-made

lots

of fruits, vegetables,

down on meat and

dairy foods,

and

learning to pick the safest, lowest-in-chemical-toxin foods in all

food groups, you can cut

down the amount of pesticides and diet. People who are eating

other dangerous chemicals in your

a reduced-cholesterol, heart-healthy diet will find that they

have already started

some

tion, as

down

the road to toxic chemical reduc-

of the basic principles, such as reducing saturated

fat intake, are

The

the same.

low- toxin, high-energy diet will

even help most people lose weight! better,

Why

And

it

helps

you

feel

mentally and physically.

is

the low-toxin high-energy diet necessary? Are toxic

chemicals in foods really that dangerous? Food-industry lobbyists

and government

foods are

safe,

so

officials

constantly

you may be tempted

tell

us that

all

our

to believe that the

minuscule amounts of toxic chemicals in your food are too small to

harm you.

I

know

—that

is

the attitude

I

took for

David Steinman

years. I

my

assumed that government regulations would protect

Now

know better. Government regulations are much too lenient. They allow foods to be sold in the United States that the government's own scientists know are danhealth.

gerous. You

I

must take

responsibility for ensuring the safety of

your food.

Many

of the most dangerous toxic chemicals affecting us

are chemicals used

the

soil,

to

kill

by farmers. Chemicals are used to

plants that inhibit crop growth, to

fertilize

kill

insects

and other living things that attack the crops, and to protect the crop from mold, fungus, and insects after harvest. Farmers

have been using these chemicals for decades, and the chemicals

have built up in the

soil

from repeated doses year

after

They get inside the crops and onto their outer coverings. They get into water supplies and into the fish that live in them. And they build up in the bodies of animals whose feed has year.

been grown using these chemicals. These chemicals poisons are as adept at slowly

damaging our

cells

and organs

as

they are

at killing insects.

Modern

agriculture

isn't

pollution of air and water arette

smoke

take their

is

toll.

the

only culprit. Industrial

widespread. Auto exhaust and cig-

Toxic chemicals linger in tens of

thousands of waste dumps across the nation, seeping into

water suppHes.

From

all

these sources and more, our bodies

accumulate toxic chemicals in our

How

do we know these chemicals are dangerous? Study

after study

in

tissues.

shows that chemicals

in the actual

amounts found

our food and water cause thousands of deaths throughout

the population. Just eating the foods and drinking the water of late twentieth-

premature

and twenty-first-century America can cause

illness,

birth defects,

and even lead to impaired

cognitive and neurological function.

studies

below.

For

a

(I

discuss

more complete

some of

discussion

these

of the

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

relationship between pesticides and

cancer, see the

Our Food.)

Postscript: Pesticides in

More

human

than twenty-five years ago, author Rachel Carson

awakened America with her book

Silent Spring.

That

story of

America's growing dependence on pesticides depicted a nation

whose landscape had been ravaged by Ironically, the

volume of

more than was used

times

some

fifty

their use. In

its

wake,

were banned.

several dangerous pesticides

pesticides applied today

is

four

then. Farmers and ranchers have

thousand pesticide formulations and seven hundred

chemical ingredients fi'om which to choose. Indeed, today in 2006,

many

ticides

foods are

more contaminated than

ever with pes-

and other industrial poisons (including highly toxic

petrochemicals linked by some experts to global warming).

Our chemical dependency has had tremendous human health consequences. In 1971, when President Richard Nixon declared war on cancer, 337,000 people died annually from the disease. In 1986,

472,000 died from

it,

a

40 percent

increase.

Today, greater than one in three Americans will be stricken with cancer. Incidence rates of breast, lung, and prostate cancer, for example, continue to increase; not surprisingly, a

number of

published epidemiological studies have found a link between toxic chemical exposures

course, not icals.

We

all

and

a

higher risk of these cancers.

of this increase can be attributed to toxic chem-

must

also look at the increased

dying from lung cancer due to more as

Of

number of women

women

smoking,

as well

population increases and the aging of our population. But

our cumulative exposure to cancer-causing chemicals dumped in

our food, water, and

Our war It is

against cancer

air is also is

a

interesting to note that only one

cancer caused a Httle more than

and

playing a contributing role.

long way from being won.

less in

America.

3

hundred years ago,

percent of all deaths in Europe

And one hundred years earlier than that,

at

David Steinman

the beginning of the nineteenth century, cancer was responsible for less

than

1

percent of all deaths.

out of four American

men and one

Now cancer kills one

out of

five

women. Many

explanations can be advanced for this huge increase in cancer deaths, including changes in infectious diseases, changes in

diagnostic procedures in medicine, changes in exposure to

known

carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, and changes in

expectancy. But the increasing presence of

cinogens in our food supply

is

human-made

life

car-

surely a contributing factor.

More cases of cancer than ever are being linked with poisonous human-made chemicals. Cancers of all kinds have been linked with exposure to industrial pollutants and pesticides in

food and water.

My research and studies for a variety of organArizona Republic newspaper and the

izations, including the

National

Academy of Sciences, show

potentially will get cancer

from

that thousands of people

insecticides lodged in

meat

and poultry alone and that thousands more cancers could

from

result just

insecticides lodged in dairy foods

According to the National Cancer

and 1985

•

in the

United

Institute,

and

States:

Cancer incidence among children under

fifteen

(who pro-

vide an early warning system of problems that will the overall population as

Exposure to toxic chemicals

hood •

fish.

between 1950

it

ages)

in the

afflict

increased 32 percent.

womb

can

initiate child-

cancer.

Urinary bladder cancer incidence increased 5 1 percent. Scientists

have linked increased incidence to exposure to toxic

chemicals that taint tap water. •

Testicular cancer incidence increased 8 1 percent. Testicular

cancer occurs

in

significant

proportion

among farm

workers and manufacturers of pesticides such

bromide.

as

methyl

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

•

Kidney and renal

82 per-

pelvis cancer incidence increased

cent; mortality increased

by 23 percent. Kidney cancer

is

associated with toxins in drinking water. •

Reported incidents of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, linked with pesticide exposures, rose by 123 percent with 26,500

new •

cases in 1985.

Hodgkin's disease, also linked in a European study with agricultural chemicals, increased in incidence

24 percent.

Between 1973 and 1985 breast cancer incidence increased 14 percent. Although the jury

is still

out on the link between toxic

chemicals and this disease, a 1976 study reports that cancerous breast tissue has increased levels of industrial pollutants and pesticides

compared with normal breast

tissue.

And

since this

seminal study, more than half a dozen additional studies have

pointed to the same conclusion: pesticides

women

with higher levels of

and industrial chemicals in their breast, blood, and

other tissues tend to have a higher risk of breast cancer. (See

my book

The Breast Cancer Preventmi Program for

a thor-

ough examination of the environmental causes of

breast

also

cancer.)

There

is

also suggestive evidence that

commonly

found pollutants in tap water are associated with significantly increased risks for breast cancer.

We need pure water,

indeed.

The surgeon general's Report on Nutrition and Health in 1988 estimated as many as ten thousand cancer deaths annually could be caused by chemical additives in food. That's additives

—

chemicals intentionally added to food as preservatives, flavor enhancers, and for other reasons. That does not include

all

the

deaths from pesticides and other toxins that inadvertently enter the food supply.

Donald Kennedy, former U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner,

summed up

the only sensible approach to

cancer-causing chemicals in food in

1977 when banning

David Steinman

saccharin from

many

products:

"An expert committee [World

Health Organization, 1965] has concluded that of all cancer in

man is due

at least half

to environmental factors. It should

therefore be possible to prevent a great deal of human cancer

by finding and removing chemical carcinogens from the environment." It is

cent of

widely accepted by scientists today that at least 50 per-

human

cancers can be attributed to specific causes,

including tobacco smoke, ionizing radiation, occupational

exposures to toxic chemicals such as asbestos and benzene, and viral

and hereditary influences. The extent to which the

remaining 50 percent of cancer incidence

is

due to pesticides

and industrial chemicals in our food, water, and

air is a subject

of great debate. Naturally occurring carcinogens in food

The

cause some.

theory that the high cancer.

And

fat

content of the American diet promotes

chlorinated tap water

is

associated with higher

rates of breast cancer in virtually every study

agency where

it

may

National Cancer Institute supports the

has been specifically looked

conducted for the for,

according to

William Marcus of the Environmental Protection Agency. Michael A. Evans, Ph.D., associate professor versity of Illinois College of

70 to 90 percent of

human

Medicine

at

at the

Uni-

Chicago, states that

cancer incidence

is

the result of

exposure to environmental factors, including synthetic chemicals,

food additives, agricultural chemicals, and other factors

such as sunlight and dietary components. Dr. Evans further notes that "additionally, most of the environmental factors that

contribute to the overall cancer burden are not complete carcinogens in themselves but probably act together or in combination with other environmental and genetic factors to

produce their carcinogenic

For

all

effect."

the argumentation, scientists simply do not

know an

exact percentage of cancers caused by our exposure to toxic

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

chemicals in our food, water, and

air.

But no thoughtful health

expert will deny that toxic chemicals in our food, water, and air

contribute to the onset of cancer and noncancerous diseases like

heart disease, Parkinson's, and other subtler maladies

ranging from joint problems to decreased IQ.

Cancer

not the only disease we have to be concerned

is

with. Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative brain disease is

now one

quality of

of our nation's leading

life

may

in our later years,

in the environment, particularly

not widely used until the

late

killers

also be linked to toxins

aluminum. Aluminum was

nineteenth century.

began to see the proliferation of aluminum running table

salt,

which

and destroyers of

Then we

in cookware, free-

ground pepper, baking powder,

antacids,

buffered aspirin, tea, tap water, fabric softeners, antiperspirants,

and even processed cheese that continues to

1907, the

German

physician Alois Alzheimer

this day. In

first

identified

the disease.

High

levels

of aluminum are regularly found in the brains

of victims of this disease, and aluminum ions are

known

interfere with the body's transmission of nerve impulses

the brain to other nerve centers. Genetics, too, role.

But it is

this toxic

chemical that

may play the

may

to

from

play a

decisive role

in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Today, more than

3

Alzheimer's disease, and

death in the nation.

million Americans suffer from it

is

the fourth leading cause of

We may

be poisoning ourselves by

preparing and storing food (especially acidic foods tomatoes) in aluminum cookware and

foil,

like

by eating and

drinking from aluminum containers, and by ingesting huge

amounts of aluminum

in

convenience foods, antacids,

buffered painkillers, and even table

salt. I'll

contaminated foods throughout

this

steps to cut

down aluminum

buildup.

point out aluminum-

book

so

you can take

David Steinman

We now

know

that Parkinson's

an affliction

disease,

causing severe tremors, rigidity of the hmbs, slow movements,

and stooped posture,

is

possibly likely to be environmentally,

A Finnish study looked

rather than simply genetically, caused. at the

medical records of sixteen thousand sets of twins born in

Finland before 1958; of the forty-two cases of Parkinson's disease, in

only one instance did both twins develop the disease,

leading the researchers to conclude that environmental factors play an important role in

its

onset.

The

British medical journal

Lancet recently reported that widely used fungicides can form stable, fat-soluble

compounds with

etrate the blood-brain barrier.

compounds could be

that these

Parkinson's disease.

mercury, which

We

found

is

Parkinson's. Indeed, there

and then pen-

report's author speculates

linked with the onset of

know

also at

that viruses; methyl-

high levels in some

occurring substance

naturally

toxic metals

The

in

food

may

fish;

and

also

cause

a

may be multiple causes of Parkinson's why exposure reduc-

disease, including toxic chemicals; that's

tion

is

essential.

Even coronary heart to toxic chemicals.

disease

There

is

is,

in part, caused

by exposure

strong evidence from several

studies that an association exists

between elevated blood pres-

sure and heart disease and elevated concentrations of

and other toxic chemicals. Researchers reporting

PCBs

in

the

journal Environmental Contamination and Toxicology noted in a

study of pesticide-related jobs and

human

disease,

"There

were apparent associations between high serum pesticide [levels]

.

.

.

and the subsequent appearance of hypertension,

arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease,

This could imply

a casual role

and possibly diabetes.

of any of the pesticidal and

other environmental stresses to which these workers were exposed."

How could industrial pollutants and pesticides cause

coronary heart disease?

Some may

overstress the liver,

which

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

regulates cholesterol, such stress preventing the liver

keeping cholesterol Toxic chemicals

at its

from

proper level in the bloodstream.

may well play an even more significant role human body, which

in the formation of arterial plaque in the

leads to both stroke

have reported in it

has

become

and coronary heart

Scientific

American, "In the past fifteen years

clear that [arterial] plaque

accumulation of smooth muscle is:

Why

cells

of

muscle plaque if it is

do the

a

is

characterized by an

The important question Some of us now think the

cells.

accumulate?

plaque are the progeny of a single mutated smooth-

cell is

cells

disease. Researchers

from near the

comparable to

a

site

of the plaque. If that

is

so, the

And

benign tumor of the artery wall.

comparable then the search for

initiating factors should

be directed toward the genetic and environmental factors that cause mutation

—the same kinds of agents and conditions that

transform

and thus

cells

initiate cancers." It is

erosclerotic plaques can be

produced

known

that ath-

in the arteries of labora-

tory animals by the administration of toxic chemicals such as

dimethylbenz [a] anthracene. Other toxic chemicals, experts strongly suspect, play the same role.

Cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and heart disease are late consequences of exposure. Researchers

on the

cutting edge of chemical toxicology have established that

among even earlier consequences of exposure to common toxic chemicals decreased loss is

is

neurotoxicity:

IQ and mental

reduced mental functioning,

acuity, inability to concentrate,

and

much of the attention, appear. Most people today

of feeling. Cancer, which has gotten

one of the

last

consequences to

have no conception of true mental

clarity.

We

have

exposed to low-level chemical residues for so long that ficult to

all

it is

conceive of hfe without their subtle neurotoxic

Other insidious conditions, including

been dif-

effects.

diabetes, Epstein-Barr

syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, weakened immunity, and

10

David Steinman

anxiety,

may

result

A

child

pesticides.

tional behavior

from

a buildup of industrial pollution

and

who has demonstrated antisocial and irramay find that part of his or her problem is the

result of food

and drink laced with additives and preservatives;

such children

may be

helped with a natural, wholesome diet of

foods free of these toxic chemicals.

More

recently, reproductive effects that begin at

tion or even prior to conception with the father's

been documented. Such reproductive

documented include undescended

effects that

testicles in

concep-

sperm have have been

newborn males,

genitourinary malformations, and alterations in male-female behavior.

we now know, also act like the female hormone estrogen in the human body, but because they are foreign to your tissues, these are known as xenoestrogens. They have been shown to have significant reproductive Furthermore,

effects

on

wildlife,

ational effects

come

and

chemicals,

scientific studies suggest similar

among our

The bottom that

many

line

is

gener-

offspring.

that industrial pollution

in drinking water

and pesticides

and with breakfast, lunch, and

dinner not only can accelerate cancer, increase chances of sec-

ondary

disease,

years from your

decrease mental life,

clarity,

and shave healthy

but they also deprive our children of their

healthy future in what zoologist and author

Ph.D.,

calls

Theo Colborn,

"our stolen future."

know little about the impact Most have no training at all in

Unfortunately, most doctors

of chemicals in food and water.

landmark 1988 publication Role of Primary Care Physician in Occupational Environmental Medi-

chemical toxicology. In the

cine^

its

an expert committee of the National Academy of Sciences

concluded that almost the entire medical illiterate

field is functionally

on the subject of the low-level toxicology of industrial

pollution and pesticides.

The committee

also

concluded that

11

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

toxic chemicals are playing an increasingly significant role in

No

wonder many persons

a toxic

chemical are never able

the onset of disease and death.

whose

illnesses are

hnked with

them; their doctors never think to check their

to alleviate

blood or other bodily tissues for toxic chemicals. Yet people are increasingly afflicted with chemical illnesses, and physi-

must learn

cians trial

I

to recognize the

symptoms

that reflect indus-

pollution and pesticide exposure through food and water.

beHeve that

just as in the

blood for cholesterol, in the

1980s

many

people checked their

new millennium many people will

learn to have the toxic chemical levels of their blood checked.

Fortunately, blood profiles are as easy to do as cholesterol tests.

Many

cure

may be

illnesses for

which doctors can presently find no

curable and manageable as

we

find their causes in

toxic chemical burdens in our bloodstream and other Little as they diseases, doctors

when

it

comes

know about and

tissues.

tracing environmentally caused

even more dumbfounded

scientists are

to determining the effects of cumulative low-

level exposures to

many

different toxic chemicals.

The

gov-

ernment's best scientists say they do not have the faintest idea

how

to test multiple chemicals in animal

Experts

know

very

chemicals together,

little

let

about

how

alone four,

model systems.

to test the effects of

five,

two

or ten.

When scientists have done studies on this chemical cocktail syndrome,

it

seems quite clear that they act

one small 1976 study reported scientific

synergistically. In

in xht Journal of Food Science, a

team used three chemicals on

a

group of

rats.

The

chemicals were tested one at a time on the rats without effect.

When

the scientists gave the rats two chemicals at a

time, a decline in health all

is

little bits

12

was noted.

three chemicals at once, they

This

ill

all

When

the rats were given

died within two weeks.

the kind of situation most of us face.

We get several

of pesticides with our salad, different ones in our

David Steinman

meat or

others in the vegetables

fish, still

on the

side,

and

separate dose of additives and preservatives with dessert.

wine has pesticides and for many of us our water, tion our drinking water a single

meal we could

may contain solvents easily

consume

a

Our

too. In addi-

as well as lead. In

residues of a dozen dif-

Every meal,

ferent neurotoxic or carcinogenic chemicals.

every drink of water, every day.

The EPA include

all

Office of Pesticide Programs does not even

our potential exposures to the same pesticide when

calculating permitted residue levels of a given single crop.

The agency

that people eat

residues of the

sets levels

recommended

We

a

more than one product that has permitted same compound. EPA scientists have found

that, at times, these residues, if totaled,

of the

compound on

with "blinders" to the fact

exceeded 500 percent

daily intake.

are told constantly that the level of a toxin in a certain

food

is

"absolutely safe." But

does

it

take before

Most of

it's

the foods discussed in this

government

guidelines set by the

They

doses

book

fall

within the

for toxins in our food.

maximum contaminant

But

much

too

are reached in conjunction with the food

and

the government's lenient.

how many "absolutely safe"

not safe anymore?

levels are

chemical industries, and the standards do not take into account the fact that people are ingesting or being otherwise exposed to toxic chemicals

When

the

from hundreds

EPA sets

in a particular food,

a

if

not thousands of sources.

maximum contaminant

it is

based on the assumption that people

will take in that toxin only from that food. scientific purposes, real world,

where we

Most chemicals

human

safety.

in

And

but patently all

level for a toxin

take in

false

This

when

many toxins

is

convenient for

dealing with the

fi-om

many sources.

our food have not been adequately tested for they have certainly not been tested with the

chemical cocktail syndrome in mind.

The EPA

does not have

13

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

a scientifically acceptable

method

for determining the risk for

multiple chemical exposures from residues or any other envi-

ronmental poisons.

No which

one knows whether regularly eating food hke salami, a careful

FDA study found

to have a very high

number

of pesticide residues, will give a particular person cancer. But

why add

salami's toxins to all the other unavoidable toxins

breathe and drink and eat every day

when

so

many

we

other, far

have turkey breast, which has very few residues?

why not Similarly, how

about choosing

of one grown

safer foods are available? Instead of a salami sandwich,

a pesticide-free apple instead

with dozens of different chemical pesticides,

on the today

fruit that is

you

ingest? After

about the same. That

is

all,

all

leaving traces

the price for either apple

the kind of choice

I

help you make. There are hundreds of safe foods. So unsafe ones

when you

want

to

why

eat

don't have to?

The low-toxin, high-energy diet outlined in these pages fits well within the guidelines put forward by the American Heart Association, the general; yet,

it

American Cancer

offers so

much more

Society,

since

it

and the surgeon takes into account

the very real threat to your health and our nation's health that

exposure to environmental pollutants and contaminants poses. It

has been reviewed by nutrition experts and doctors, and I'm

confident

it

presents a balanced, nourishing, and pleasing

approach to food.

14

TWO Plant Foods

You don't have

to

fall

pollution. Eating well

is

victim to chemical farming or industrial

one of your best defenses.

And eating plenty ofplant food is the key.

It is

the best

way to

gain

an edge over toxic chemical pollution. Plant foods are the cornerstone of the low-toxin, high-energy

nothing

else

diet. If this

book does

but persuade you to increase the amount of plant

down on animal

foods you eat and cut

foods,

I will

have accom-

plished a great deal.

This may seem surprising, since the chemicals applied to plant foods are that

I'll

among

come back

their worse,

to again

and again in

this

most chemical-laced plant foods

you than almost omega-3

the major petrochemical toxic molecules

all

rich wild

traces of dioxin,

book. But even at

are

much

better for

animal foods (perhaps with the exception of

salmon

which

is

a

—even

if

some

occasionally harbor

highly toxic contaminant produced by

the bleaching processes at pulp and paper mills so frequently located

on

food web.

rivers

and

bays).

They consume

When you eat plant foods,

This

is

because plants are low on the

nutrients

from

soil,

water, and

air.

the only chemical toxins you'll get are

the ones that were freshly sprayed

on the crop

(and, occasionally,

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

historic pesticide residues in die soil

from past chemical

cations), as well as those that plants pulled in

span of their

own

root networks,

appli-

from the hmited

or, increasingly,

from pack-

aging and some limited chemical exposures due to handling,

and transportation. Plus, plants are rich in antioxi-

storage,

These

dants.

But cows,

also help pigs,

your health.

and other animals raised for slaughter have

concentrations in their flesh of chemical residues and biolog-

from

ical toxins

all

the food they eat

—thousands of plants laced

with chemical pesticides or fungal contaminants and microor-

ganisms in their feed.

And

the pesticides that accumulate in

animal flesh are the same ones that can accumulate in flesh.

The

higher up on the food

web you

eat,

the greater con-

centration of toxins you are likely to consume. surprisingly, are It is

among the most poisoned

Humans, not

creatures

on

earth.

important to avoid cancer-causing chemicals and envi-

ronmental pollutants whenever you can. You can do will

human

mean a lot to your health once you

do.

I'll

and

it,

it

show you which

plant foods have the highest and lowest concentrations of such poisons, and this will help are big differences, and

you

to be a better shopper.

you need

dangerous produce items.

to be able to

Some food

if there's

nothing

may be else

pesticides

around

tell safe

from

crops usually receive

heavy doses of pesticides; others get very the fact that there

There

little.

But don't

let

on plant foods deter you

—always prefer plant foods to

animal foods. In other words, don't

let

chemical pollution per-

suade you to eat that quarter pounder instead of a salad or a

bowl of strawberries. Sure, both might have chemical pollution,

but the salad greens and strawberries also offer an array

of powerful cancer-fighting phytochemicals that can help to

some of these chemical time bombs. (The word phy tochemical means usually a beneficial chemical found naturally in plants and comes from the Greek word phyto for plant.) defiise

16

David Steinman

am

I

not

a vegetarian,

and

I

am

not sure that

swear off meat and poultry completely. But and, as

show you, the

I

and the dangers of

Fresh

fruits,

low

just

them seldom,

high in animal

flesh, I

hope you

will

do the same.

vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds aren't

They

in toxins.

actually help

also contain essential nutrients that

your body

resist the ravages

clearly

to

eat

benefits of a diet high in plant foods

a diet

make up your mind

I

ever

I will

resist disease,

prevent cancer, and

of chemical pollution. This was

and directly in

a

ican Dietetic Association:

summed up

1980 article in xht Journal of the Amer"A growing body of scientific evidence

supports a positive relationship between the consumption of a plant-based diet and the prevention of certain diseases." In the low-toxin, high-energy diet, plant foods should

up

at least two-thirds

call this

say

of all your meals, preferably even more.

the two-thirds rule.

you should

Remember

it

eat at least four several-ounce servings daily of

and vegetables and four servings daily of beans,

nuts;

two servings

I

go beyond

two servings this

or eggs) a day.

or eggs at

all.

a

and

day of meat, poultry,

conventional wisdom.

beheve you need more than one fish,

grains,

daily of dairy foods for adults, three to four

servings for children; and

or eggs.

I

daily! Nutritionists

fruits

fish,

make

If you

do the same,

For snacks and

loss

desserts,

do not

flesh serving (meat, poultry,

Many days I eat no meat,

more energy and weight

I

poultry, fish, dairy,

you'll find that

comes

all

that

you have even

much more

keep plenty of fresh

easily.

fruits

and

vegetables on hand instead of sweets and prepared foods.

Because they are sustaining, satiating foods,

fruits

and vegeta-

bles provide an excellent snack in place of fatty animal foods.

Fruits such as figs or oranges are a

much

better sweet snack for

children than contaminant-loaded candy bars, which are extraordinarily high in cancer-causing pesticides such as benzene

17

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

When

hexachloride and lindane.

socializing,

if

you must

decide between foods such as frankfurters, hamburgers, and

prepared foods, or fresh fruits

and vegetables. At

fruits

and vegetables, always choose

a cookout,

I'll

make my

meal

entire

from the erudite tray rather than load up on hot dogs or hamburgers.

The

vegetables will be hugely lower in pesticide sat-

uration than the meats, and you will also avoid exposure to the

highly carcinogenic growth-stimulating growth hormones

used for beef production. In addition, their high-fiber content will help

your body

rid itself

of contaminants. As for our chil-

dren, we've found that our kids have their favorite fruits and

we

vegetables, and

always try to have healthy organic foods

such as strawberries, broccoli (which

we

call

"dinosaur trees"),

watermelon, and blueberries around for them. If they need a further inducement to eat their veggies and fruits,

add

a little persuasion in the

them go down

a little

Do you need

more

we might

form of whipped cream to help

easily.

show that vegetarians are less likely to be overweight than meat eaters, and simply increasing the amount of plant foods you eat ^with a to lose a few pounds? Studies

—

corresponding decrease in

animal foods, of course —

you losing weight. People who love can eat as

much

as

water-heavy fresh

^will

to eat but

start

must lose weight

they desire of simple whole-grain foods and fruits

and vegetables such

as grapefruit,

strawberries, watermelon, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and

endive without conscience pangs.

Have you discovered

that your cholesterol level

is

above

180 milligrams per deciliter? Are you the worried owner of an overstressed circulatory system hindered by high blood pressure? Perhaps

you should

eat a few extra spears of asparagus, a

few more spoonfuls of kidney beans, and plenty of fresh at

your meals instead of chowing down on pesticide-saturated

quarter-pound hamburgers, french

18

fruit

fries,

and milk shakes.

David Steinman

Diets high in plant foods cut

down mortaHty from coronary

heart disease (probably regardless of their degree of pesticide

contamination). Diets in which 60 to 70 percent of the calories

come from

low plasma cholesterol

for coronary heart disease. fiber

Such

and very low in saturated

The

consumed

starch, such as those

are associated with

in Asian countries,

and low

levels

diets tend to

be very high in

fat.

beef industry would have us believe there

able debate about the role that diet has lesterol levels.

The meat

risk

is

consider-

on lowering blood cho-

industry has pointed out that

people eat a lot of meat and have very low cholesterol

some levels.

Others eat very Httle meat, yet they have very high cholesterol. So, they say,

how

could animal flesh be implicated in plasma

cholesterol concentrations? But these are the exceptions, not

the rule. Overall, the

numbers shake out very

ians have far lower cholesterol levels.

clearly: vegetar-

One group

of strict veg-

etarians

from the Boston area who

products

—not even dairy products or eggs—had an average

ate absolutely

blood cholesterol of about 125 milHgrams per William

Castelli, director

in Massachusetts, said he has never seen

a cholesterol

level below

meat

eaters in

deciliter. Dr.

of the federal govemmenfs Framingham

Heart Study

Atlantic, a study of

no animal

150

anybody with

suffer a heart attack. Across the

more than

ten thousand vegetarians and

England reported similar

results.

For decades

medical evidence has shown quite clearly that vegetarians and

people

have

who

far

eat

meat and poultry only

lower blood cholesterol

a

few times

a

month

levels.

Many people fear that if they cut down on meat they will not get

enough

protein.

That is

a

myth. Animal protein

rior to plant protein. Virtually

all

is

not supe-

vitamins and minerals that

animal foods provide are found in abundance in plant foods and seafood.

The fact is that many of the healthiest, most long-lived

persons on the planet are largely vegetarian. (They also tend to

19

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

consume

naturally fermented foods such as miso, tofu, yogurt,

and kimchi, which provide beneficial bacteria to the human

body

that offer important protection against pathogenic

microorganisms and aid in nutrient

utilization.)

Lately our knowledge of our protein needs has undergone a

dramatic

We now know that a well-rounded diet com-

shift.

bining a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds will provide

more than enough

high-quality protein. As

the noted British medical journal, the Lancet, editorialized

more than

thirty years ago, "Formerly, vegetable proteins

classified as second-class,

and regarded

were

as inferior to first-class

proteins of animal origin, but this distinction has

now been

generally discarded."

We

now know

also

of energy.

Once we

activity

needed

viduals.

But

we

that protein

not our primary source

believed that persons involved in strenuous

a great deal

now we know

get in abundance from

satisfy

is

more protein than sedentary

that

indi-

complex carbohydrates, which

fruits,

vegetables, beans, and grains,

our energy needs.

Vegetable proteins are not always complete proteins alone. create complete proteins containing for

human

the

amino

acids necessary

growth, you need to mix different vegetables with

grains, beans,

and seeds. This

Protein complementing grains such as

legumes such beans,

all

To

whole wheat, as

is

is

called protein

complementing.

very simple. You can combine

pasta, breads, oats,

and rye with

soybeans and soy foods, kidney beans, navy

mung bean, bean sprouts, and peanuts. A sandwich made

with whole wheat bread, organic peanut butter, and organic fruit

Or

conserve

is

an excellent high-protein pesticide-free snack.

sprinkle walnuts, cashews, and other nuts

on your whole

grain cereal with dairy milk or soy milk to help create a high-

quahty protein. These are

The 20

rule of

thumb

all

complete protein meals.

is this:

grains

combined with legumes

David Steinman

equal a perfect protein. For example, a pasta main course with a side of kidney

beans and

rice.

read Frances

bean salad

offers a

complete protein. So does

For excellent information on protein combining,

Moore

Lappe's

classic.

Registered dietician Elaine

Diet for a Small Planet.

Grossman of the Nutrition

Network, Los Angeles, has developed several have reprinted here, that show

make complete

foods to

many ways

charts,

which

I

of combining plant

proteins.

In addition to protein, plant foods provide a vast array of nutritional riches, virtually

all

from complex carbohydrates and

fiber to

the essential vitamins and minerals, including

micronutrients, of which the

body needs

a

minuscule amount

for proper functioning. Together these nutrients protect the

body against many by

diseases

and cancer, including those caused

toxic chemicals.

Former surgeon general C. Everett Koop has noted that a large body of evidence suggests that foods high in vitamin A (especially tect the

its

body

plant-based precursor, beta-carotene) help to proagainst a variety of cancers.

Green vegetable and

orange-yellow vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, and the sur-

geon general has

stated that these vegetables

may contain many One

other protective components in addition to vitamin A.

study of an older population in Massachusetts has demonstrated that the risk for

all

cancers decreases with increasing intake of

vegetables containing liberal amounts of beta-carotene A.

Foods containing beta-carotene may help

women

against cancer of the breast and cervix.

to

protect

These foods

can also help prevent cancer of the bladder, colon, and

stomach; each of these cancers, by the way, has been linked with exposure to toxic chemicals in food and water. Bladder cancer and colon cancer can result, for example, from exposure to toxic chemicals in drinking water. result

from exposure to

nitrites in

Stomach cancer may

cured meats and other cured

21

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

(The chemicals

foods.

in drinking water

most frequently

linked to bladder and colon cancer include trihalomethanes

such as chloroform, which appear in your tap water as a result of chlorination; however, a relatively inexpensive physical

water

filtration

system such

as Brita

[which uses carbon

filters]

can reduce these levels significantly, and this will go a long way

toward reducing your

risk for

some very

serious cancers.)

PLANT FOOD COMBINATIONS THAT MAKE COMPLETE PROTEINS Whole Grains with

Such

Legumes, Greens, and Other Vegetables Such

as:

as:

Asparagus

Barley

Brown

rice

Beet greens

Brown

rice flour

Black-eyed peas

Buckwheat (buckwheat

Broccoli

pancakes and soba noodles)

Brussels sprouts

Bulgur wheat

Cauliflower

Corn on

CoUard greens

the cob

Cornmeal (cornbread

Garbanzo beans

and corn

Green peas

tortillas)

Millet

Kidney beans

Oats (oat bran, oatmeal)

Lima beans

Rye

(rye breads

Whole wheat

and rye

crisps)

(bagels, breads,

breadsticks, cereal, crackers,

graham

crackers, lupini pasta,

Navy beans Northern beans

Okra Snap green beans

matzoh, muffins, pasta, pita

Soybeans

bread, pretzels, tortillas,

Spinach

and

Tofu

triticale flour)

Tofu hot dogs

22

David Steinman

Vegi-burgers

(made with

tofu)

Peanuts

Peanut butter

Peanut oatmeal cookies

Potatoes with

Greens and Other Vegetables Such

as:

Broccoli

CoUard greens

Com Mustard greens

Okra Spinach

Legumes with

Greens and Other Vegetables

Such

Such

as:

as:

Black-eyed peas

Beet greens

Garbanzo beans

CoUard greens

Green peas

Kale

Kidney beans

Mustard greens

Lima beans

Okra

Navy beans

Spinach

Peanuts

Sweet potatoes

Peanut butter

Swiss chard

Snap green beans

Winter squash

Soybeans

Yams

Tofu hot dogs Vegi-burgers

(made with

tofu)

23

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Air pollutdon's toxic effects can also be mitigated with liberal

amounts of carotenoids (which are related to beta-carotene). Epidemiologic evidence correlates constimption of vegetables rich in beta-carotene and other related carotenoids with decreased lung cancer. In fact,

men

one study of nearly two thousand middle-aged

found that although animal foods and vegetables are both

rich in vitamin A, dark yellow, orange, offered the best protection tain that

it is

A (in the form of beta-carotene) in these

the vitamin

vegetables that offers cancer protection.

carotenoids, vitamin C, or other vegetables, or a combination of

message

is

It

could be due to other

unmeasured nutrients

in the

of these valuable nutrients

all

and phytochemicals. But whether nutrients, the

and green vegetables

from lung cancer. Experts are not cer-

it

was vitamin

A or

other

the same: consumption of vegetables

such as carrots, collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale offers

our bodies excellent protection against the formation of

cancerous

tissues, particularly in the

aHmentary

tract.

Carotenoid-rich vegetables also contain antioxidant chemicals that protect against the

Oxygen

free radicals are

formation of oxygen free radicals.

formed

in our bodies

from

a variety of

environmental sources, including industrial pollutants and pesticides, as well as

respiration.

from normal

They bounce up

daily stressors, metabolism,

and

against other molecules in the

them of stabilizing electrons, and form cancercausing compounds that attack not only cellular membranes but

body, robbing

also the very inner

such as

DNA,

workings of the

and our

cell

cell,

our genetic materials

energy factories that are known

as

mitochondria; this damaging process is called oxidation. Experts

compare

cellular oxidation

associated with

and

damage

RNA. This

to the

cell's

genetic material

instructions to your cells

vital genetic material,

is

is

DNA

responsible for providing

on how to repair or replace themselves.

Because they can make the

24

with rusting. Cellular oxidation

cell's

genetic material go haywire,

it

David Steinman

is

not surprising that these harmful oxidizing chemicals account

and lead to premature aging.

for an increased risk of cancer

Those

vitamins, minerals, and other plant chemicals (phyto-

chemicals) that prevent antioxidants.

damage from

cellular rusting are called

Many such antioxidants also enhance our immune

system response, offering us overall protection against disease.

Beware: vitamin A, as

it is

who consume

People

potentially toxic.

found in animal foods,

vitamin supplements (and,

less

large

commonly, animal

is

also

amounts of livers)

have

experienced toxic effects such as headaches, skin and bone disorders, renal failures,

amin

A

and birth defects in their offspring. Vit-

been caused by taking over

toxicity in children has

50,000 International Units (lU) a day. In adults, toxicity has

been caused by taking over 100,000

A

in the

lU

a day.

Getting vitamin

form of beta-carotene and other carotenoids from

plant foods

is

one way to avoid vitamin

A

toxicity.

intake of plant foods that are rich sources of a

A known as

beta carotene

These vegetables

are

is

Excessive

form of vitamin

not known to cause toxic

richest

in

effects.

beta-carotene and other

carotenoids: Carrots

Pumpkin

Chinese cabbage

Red peppers

Collard greens

Spinach

Dandelion greens

Sweet potatoes

Mustard greens

Turnip greens

These vegetables

are

al so

good

sources:

Asparagus

Lettuce

Beet greens

Peas

Broccoli

Tomatoes

Brussels sprouts

Winter squash

Endive

25

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

These

are

fruits

the richest in beta-carotene and other

carotenoids: Apricots

Mangoes

Cantaloupes

Peaches

These

fruits are also

good

sources:

Avocados

Plantains

Cherries

Tangerines

Nectarines

Watermelons

A rule

of

thumb

etables

is

to look for the

for selecting carotenoid-rich fruits

Many carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables vitamins.

The B

and veg-

most deeply colored produce. are also rich in

B

vitamins are absolutely necessary for the body

to function properly; they are invaluable during high-stress

periods.

The

nutrients in the B-vitamin complex help the brain

function at top performance levels; these nutrients also fight

depression and help to stave off age-related dementia.

Vitamin B^

—

also

stress nutrient that the

into energy.

known

thiamine

as

body needs

—

Without thiamine, we would

lecithin are

two nutrients

order to produce acetylcholine,

a

an excellent anti-

blood sugar

suffer severe brain dis-

orders similar in effect to senile dementia.

mins choline and

is

in order to convert

The B-complex that the

body needs

is

the one nutrient that people

animal foods have to be extra careful to get enough B12

is

in

neurotransmitting chemical that

allows us to transmit messages from the brain to other nerve

Vitamin B12

vita-

who of.

cells.

eat no

Vitamin

an essential nutrient in our fight against pernicious

anemia,

stress,

and

fatigue.

The

richest sources of vitamin B12

are animal foods, including cheese, fish, liver, kidney, meat,

milk, shellfish,

whole eggs, and tgg

foods are saturated with pesticides.

yolks, but

One

many

of these

three-ounce serving

of lean beef provides 79 percent of our daily vitamin B12 needs.

26

David Steinman

Vegans

—

^vegetarians

who

to be especially careful:

eat

no dairy products or eggs

—have

A British study of vegans reported that

35 percent had very low levels of 6^2 in their blood serum.

However, there are other

less

abundant nonflesh sources of

vitamin B^j such as soybeans, wheat germ, and brewer's yeast,

and there are plenty of good seafood sources for vitamin

B12,

plus skim (nonfat) milk and nonfat yogurt.

Good etables,

plant sources of other

raw

nuts, legumes,

B

whole

vitamins include leafy veggrains, brewer's yeast,

and

wheat germ. Vegetables rich in Black-eyed peas

B

vitamins include: Jerusalem artichokes

Brewer's yeast

Lettuce

Green peas

Tomatoes

Fruits rich in

B

vitamins include:

Avocados

Raisins

Oranges

Watermelons

Pineapples

Vitamin and

C (also known as ascorbic acid) is another antioxidant

a vital antipollution vitamin. It is

found in greatest con-

centrations in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Many

studies have

demonstrated vitamin C's cancer-deterring strengths. Biochemical studies suggest that vitamin

C

blocks the formation

of carcinogenic nitrosamines that form in the human gut when we consume cured meats such as bacon, ham, and smoked fish. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce bladder tumors induced by chemical carcinogens. Human studies have shown that foods containing vitamin

C

protect against cancers of the

esophagus, stomach, and cervix. Supplements of vitamins

and

E

C

have been shown to reduce the formation of mutagenic

27

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

chemicals in the gastrointestinal

which may be an

tract,

important means of protection against cancers of the colon

and

intestines.

Vitamin

C

protects lung tissue

genic effects of tobacco smoke. that vitamin

C

People living in heavily polluted

need plenty of vitamin C.

I

always

tell

on those occasions when they do indulge as

from the muta-

biochemical studies show

also prevents oxidation of certain chemicals to

active carcinogenic forms.

areas

And

bacon that they should drink

our children that

in cured

a glass

meats such

of orange juice or

vitamin C-enriched apple juice, which will help to block the

formation of these cancer-causing nitrosamines. By the way, this is

even better advice for us adults.

Fresh tial

fruits

and vegetables are the main source of this essen-

vitamin. Animal foods have virtually none. It

your vitamin

C

from fresh

fruits

is

best to get

and vegetables rather than

from vitamin supplements, which are only imperfect imitations of their natural coimterparts, although a good-quality vitamin

C

or multivitamin supplement can certainly do a great job of aug-

menting our normal dietary intake of

this

all-important

C and multivitamin supplements include Garden of Life and New

nutrient.

(Some of the companies producing excellent vitamin

Chapter; see Resources for more information.)

Fruits richest in vitamin

C include:

Cantaloupes

Oranges

Grapefruit

Papayas

Lemons

Strawberries

Vegetables rich in vitamin

C include:

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Brussels sprouts

Red peppers

Another antioxidant, vitamin E, appears to protect the body

28

David Steinman

from cancer. Vitamin E,

like

vitamin C, blocks the formation of

cancer-causing chemicals from the nitrites in cured meats. also help the

smoke, in

body

It

can

fight toxic chemicals, including cigarette

air pollution. (Indeed, a

highly pubhcized Finnish

study provided what some researchers consider to be ironclad

proof that vitamin

E

protects against lung cancer.) Athletes

should note that vitamin E is essential to the transport of oxygen into the bloodstream. Because aerobic exercise puts an extreme

oxygen demand on the body, intense exercise puts great vitamin

E demands on the body, which could require supplementation. Especially rich vitamin E sources include unfiltered coldpressed vegetable

oils,

almonds, and peanuts. Be sure to buy

grown peanuts, because there

organically

cide contamination of chemically

By the

way,

significant pesti-

grown peanuts.

many nutritionists recommend

of us supplement vitamin cult to get

is

E

that virtually

in our diets because

it is

so

all

diffi-

enough from our commonest foods, and the foods

richest in this important nutrient tend to be very high in calories

and people avoid them for

many

different

this reason. Actually, there are

members of the vitamin E family, so if you are this nutrient, I recommend that you

going to supplement

E

use a quality all-inclusive vitamin

supplement that supplies

both tocopherols and tocotrienols (such as Complete E from Metabohc Response Modifiers; see Personal Action Guide). Did you know that every single cell in your body contains calcium? Did you know calcium regulates your heartbeat and that diets rich in

calcium can help prevent coronary heart disease and

hypertension? Calcium

may even

help prevent cancer by con-

tributing to the orderly reproduction of your cells. often used to help the

Calcium

body excrete heavy metals such

as lead.

is

A

calcium-rich diet will prevent significant lead absorption in people

who

have an adequate iron intake. Since today

with lead in our food, water, and

air,

we

are

bombarded

this is especially vital.

29

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

have noted that calcium-rich diets actually

Scientists

symptoms of anxiety, and they speculate

viate the

may

deficient diet

alle-

that a calcium-

result in anxiety disorders with

symptoms

such as heart palpitation, tremors, nausea, choking sensations,

and blurred

vision.

beta-carotene

may

The

beneficial effects of vitamin

also be

enhanced by

A

and

a diet rich in calcium.

Plant foods rich in calcium include:

Almonds

Collards

Soybeans

Beans

Dandelion greens

Tahini

Beet greens

Figs

Turnip

Broccoli

Kale

Chinese cabbage

Oranges

Copper

greens

another one of the trace minerals our bodies must

is

know very but they do know

about

contribution to our

have. Experts

littie

health,

that copper plays a role in the pro-

its

duction of blood hemoglobin. Indeed, some anemia can be

cured only helps the

when

iron

is

supplemented with copper. Copper

body use vitamin C. Copper

weakening of the walls of blood

is

vessels,

aorta, thus helping in the prevention of tures.

Copper

aneurysms and rup-

radiation damage, which

may be

the pancreas, spleen, and white blood cells

are naturally

low

in

to radiation damage.

copper

—

are the organs

Most Americans do

their diets.

Fruits rich in copper include: Apricots

Figs

Avocados

Prunes

Currents

30

most notably the

also helps in the prevention of heart disease.

Copper helps prevent

why

also able to prevent

get

—

all

in part

of which

most susceptible

enough copper in

David Steinman

Nuts

rich in copper include:

Almonds

Peanuts

Brazil nuts

Pecans

Hazelnuts

Walnuts

Vegetables and legumes rich in copper include: Broccoli

Mushrooms

Kidney beans

Navy beans

Lima beans

Peas

Selenium

is

another absolutely essential micronutrient.

Working together with vitamin E, selenium enhances immune functions. It has

been show^n to prevent cancer, slow the aging

process, and prevent heart and circulatory diseases. According to

now known

Michael Weiner, Ph.D.,

Michael Savage, host of the nationwide Nation, in his excellent

book Reducing

selenium together with vitamin

E

as the uber-patriot

talk radio

show Savage

the Risk of Alzheimer^

can play an instrumental

role in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Vegetables such as asparagus

Seafood

Once

is

and garHc and many grains are rich in selenium.

also a rich source.

again, selenium in excess can be toxic.

your food sources;

this will

Be sure

to vary

help eliminate any chance of

ingesting toxic amounts of selenium from any one source. don't advise unsupervised selenium supplementation dietary supplement exceeds

if

I

your

200 micrograms (meg) because of

the narrow range of safe levels.

Trying to remember which plant foods have which nutrients pretty tough.

You can make copies of these

ning your meals. But there for plant foods, try fruits

is

lists

an easier way.

mixing colors. By eating

is

to use in plan-

When lots

shopping

of different

and vegetables with many shades of green, red, yellow.

31

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

and orange, you know you are getting the

range of the

full

nutrients these plant foods have to offer.

One that

it

of the best things about

a diet

high in plant foods

is

can actually help you undo the damage that pesticides

and other dietary toxins have done to your body. Fiber

is

one

of the keys. Fiber binds toxic chemicals that are circulating in

your body and moves them rapidly through your body. In addition, the spongelike nature of fiber helps scrub clean the

thousands of nooks and crannies of your large intestine where carcinogens can pass through into the bloodstream. Fiber reduces the amoimt of time that chemical carcinogens spend in

your body so they have

less

chance to damage

cells. Fruits,

vegetables, and especially grains are high in fiber.

foods have no

Of

Animal

fiber.

moves them

course, fiber also absorbs nutrients and

through the body, limiting absorption. But with

a healthy diet

that includes a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes

and limited amounts of animal foods, you nutrients your

Even can

if you

body

have been

start to eat

will

have

all

the

needs.

much

a

heavy-duty carnivore for years, you

larger quantities of grains, fresh fruits,

vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This will start your detoxification process and get

32

you on your low-toxin way.

THREE Vegetables and Fruits

In this

world

Some

of chemically grown crops, there are big differ-

way our

ences in the

crops are sprayed with far

some absorb more parts.

favorite fruits

Some favorites such

as apples, peaches, raisins,

and

Other

fruits

such

and spinach

as the edible

por-

and bananas and vegetables, including asparagus

and cauliflower, are usually I

pesticides than others,

pesticides than others into their edible

are drenched in pesticides. tions of orange

more

and vegetables are grown.

far less tainted

with chemicals.

When

am in a market and have to choose between different chemically

grown

and vegetables, I'm careful to choose nontoxic

fruits

produce.

I

pretty

pesticide-free,

and

watermelons have

much know which I

remember,

far

plant foods are relatively

for example, that pineapples

and

fewer pesticide residues than cantaloupes;

oranges and tangerines have fewer residues than apples; beans are nontoxic;

In

many

and bananas and corn are

very significant. ciated with

fine.

cases, these differences in pesticide saturation are

The bottom

line for predicting health risks asso-

any particular toxic chemical exposure

more frequently one

is

exposed and the higher the

is

level

that the

of expo-

sure, the greater the risk. Conversely, the less frequently

one

is

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

exposed and the lower the concentration, the lower the is

risk. It

that simple.

Vegetable and Fruit Survival Guide

In order to determine which vegetables and fhiits are safest,

I

examined detailed government food inspectors' reports and private studies of chemical residues in

more than 150

fruits,

vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds (including both editions). In this

chapter and

useful was a

much

of the book, the study

huge research

I

effort called the Total

found most Diet Study,

an ongoing study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration. It

is

the most accurate assessment ever

made of pesti-

cide contamination of our food supply.

In the Total Diet Study, hundreds of

analyzed each year for trial

common

foods are

more than one hundred different indusnumber of different

chemicals and pesticides. Indeed, the

foods sampled in the Total Diet Study has increased from 82

food items

when

the study was initiated in the early 1960s to

about 320 foods in the current program. pesticides

down

to

minute

levels;

The

tests

the laboratory detection

limits used in this study are five to ten times

more

than the methods used in laboratories that simply for regulatory enforcement.

from four

look for

Food samples

sensitive

test

items

are taken annually

different geographic regions in the

United

States.

These samples include the major name brands of food everyone buys,

as well as local varieties,

supermarkets, and

from grocery

fast- food restaurants. All

pared as they would be in the

home

that

stores,

the foods are pre-

or at a fast-food restaurant

before they are analyzed, so the residues detected are the ones that

commodities fresh from the

focus

on raw

when

pesticide levels are highest.

this

34

normal food preparation cannot eHminate. Often, studies agricultural

study analyzes

all

To be

fields,

as accurate as possible,

foods exactly as they would be eaten.

David Steinman

after

preparation and cooking. If anything, this

method

sHghtly understates the pesticide saturation of foods.

The

prepared foods are tested for more than one hundred

different chemicals, including pesticides, industrial chemicals,

and heavy metals such for have long since

are

still

as lead.

Some

of the chemicals tested

been banned, but they

persist in the soil or

applied to crops in foreign countries and are then

imported and sold in American markets. cides have never

Some

of these pesti-

been used in the United States but are used

abroad and show up on imported foods. But most of the pesticides tested for

and found are pesticides that are applied to

crops by farmers across America.

For Study

this

new edition of the book, I have used

the Total Diet

most recent years

through June

results for the

available

2003. (The results used for the original edition oi Diet for a Poisoned Planet were for the

Study

most recent published Total Diet

and where used for historic record

at that time, 1990,

are indicated with asterisk

[*]).

This most recent study gives

a real insight into the

chemical

exposures people face from everyday foods across the country

and brings home the ignore;

it

results in a

manner

that

none of us can

also suggests that overall industrial pollution in the

food supply has worsened significantly with what nificant incursion of industrial chemicals cally expect in their foods

styrene, a carcinogen;

— toluene,

and benzene,

a

a

I

see as a sig-

one would not

typi-

reproductive toxin;

low-dose carcinogen. All

of these are prime petrochemicals involved in manufacturing processes alleged to be linked to global warming. Samples were

taken from geographic regions as diverse and unique as

Camden, New Jersey; Philadephia, Pennsylvania;

Buffalo,

New

York; Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario, and Santa Clara, California; Salem,

Oregon; Mobile, Alabama; Shreveport,

Louisiana; Charleston,

West

Virginia;

Chicago,

Illinois;

35

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Cincinnati, Ohio; and Kalamazoo/Portage, Michigan, to

but

few of the

a

Study does

a

cities

included in the study.

The

name

Total Diet

wonderful job of visiting every geographic region

in the country.

So

it

doesn't really matter where

don't shop smart, you're going to be

you

consuming

a

live. If you

wide range

of potentially toxic pesticides and industrial chemicals.

The most number of

recent Total Diet Study measured the total

residues found in

some

thirty-six

market basket

samples. Potato chips, for instance, had 207 residues in thirty-six samples,

consume on

will

which

it,

I

meaning each chip you or your children

have nearly don't think

six different toxic is

chemical residues

too appetizing (unless, of course,

you've wisely purchased organic potato chips).

The

also listed the different kinds of pesticides, industrial cals,

study

chemi-

and other contaminants found. In potato chips there

were some thirty-one different chemicals. In addition,

tiie

study measured the concentration of each pesticide in the food, in parts per million or parts per billion.

Fresh and canned

Most canned produce fresh

fruits

and vegetables were analyzed.

has far fewer pesticide residues than

—although that should never dissuade you from eating

fresh fruits and vegetables. cide saturation

is

One

reason for this lower pesti-

the additional processing that canned pro-

duce undergoes, including extra washing and peeling, which help to remove pesticide residues, particularly those on the surface of the fruit or vegetable. tional postharvest pesticides

Another may be that addi-

and fungicides are added to fresh

produce throughout the distribution process. Unfortunately,

canned produce may have significantly more

we do not want added

salt

to be exposed,

or sugar, and

it

lead, to

which

and canned produce often has

probably has traces of bisphenol-A

and other chemicals that act leach into the food from the plastic linings

36

used in cans (see below).

It also

undergoes

slight

David Steinman

nutrient losses, especially of vitamins; and canned produce has less antioxidant benefits. In addition,

from the

plastic inner linings of

known

leaches a substance

as

canned

we now know

fruits

bodies, bisphenol-A belongs to the

gens.

known

as

and vegetables

bisphenol-A into the produce.

Unfortunately for our exquisitely sensitive chemical toxins

human

newly recognized

sexual class

of

endocrine disruptors or xenoestro-

These chemicals mimic the hormone estrogen,

larly toxic

that

particu-

forms of this hormone, and they have the potential

to interfere with the body's

on numerous published

normal hormonal processes. Based

studies, experts

have concluded that

these chemicals could contribute to genetic mutations in estrogen-sensitive tissues such as those of the breast, ovaries,

and uterus in

women

and

testicles

and prostate in men. (The

word xenoestrogen comes from the Greek xeno

for foreign,

and

denotes an unnatural or foreign estrogen.) Your best bet for

good health

is

produce you

to purchase the least-toxic fresh

good choice as well;

it

often has higher nutrient value than canned produce, and

it

can find. Fresh frozen produce

is a

can equal the nutrient value of fresh produce. Plus, there are

some wonderful brands of fresh frozen organic produce now widely available in supermarkets. (One such brand to look for is

Cascadian Farm.)

Organic fruits

fruits

and vegetables are the

and vegetables

available,

you seek out organic produce,

and

I

recommend

country

as

consumers demand

safe,

many

booming in

in

people their higher cost

is

many a

places,

burden.

My

to

show people which foods

which foods are so high

in toxins that organic or

goal in writing this are safe and

is

purer foods.

Organic foods are not readily available though, and for

that

especially as a substitute for the

most pesticide-saturated foods. Organic farming this

lowest-toxin

safest,

strongly

book has been

other substitutes are advisable.

37

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Throughout

book, I've divided foods into "green Hght,"

this

"yellow light," and "red light" categories.

means

is

obvious.

Green

of

my

If you

And

like.

that

what

this

safest choices;

Yellow light foods are

Cut down on them; when

saturated.

organic.

your

light foods are

you should eat them as often you

more

I trust

buy

possible,

red light foods are dangerous. I've cut them out

diet completely, or

found organic substitutes for them.

do eat them,

do so seldom.

try to

This division of foods into green light groupings

light,

a simplification of a

is

goal in dividing food this

yellow hght, and red

huge amount of data.

way has been

to

make

it

My

clear that

there are significant differences in the toxicity of different foods.

I

have used two findings from the Total Diet Study as

guidelines in dividing foods into these groups: which toxins

were found in each food and the

total

number of residues found.

In the section that follows, and throughout the book, the are

names of the

toxins found in each food.

probably familiar

example

—

because

I feel

—DDT,

dieldrin,

and some are pretty arcane. that

it's

important that we

are the poisons in our food

Some

and heptachlor, for I've

hsted

them

affect

A short Ust of some

of the most dangerous pesticides and other chemicals .

all,

know our enemy. These

your health or the health of your offspring!

3 1

Ust

of the names

—and they could profoundly

found in food appears in Table

I

commonly

In the back of the book I've

.

provided a glossary where you can find out more about most of these toxins, I've told

and

how dangerous they are.

number of

residues found in each

what they are used

you the

total

for,

food because that number will give you ative safety of different foods. In

a

most

good idea of the

rel-

instances, the foods

with the largest number of pesticide residues also have the highest concentrations and present the highest risk of cancer,

and the foods with the fewest residues have the lowest concentrations and are the safest.

38

David Steinman

TABLE 3.1. COMMONLY FOUND CANCER-CAUSING PESTICIDES AND THEIR CANCER POTENCY Acephate

0.0069

Azinphos-methyl

0.00000015

Benomyl

0.002065

Benzene hexachloride (BHC)*

6.3

Captafol

0.025

Captan

0.0023

Chlordane*

1.3

DDT*

0.34

Dicofol

0.44

Dieldrin*

16.0

Folpet

0.0035

Heptachlor*

4.5

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)*

1.7

Lindane*

1.3

Linuron

0.328

Parathion

0.0018

Permethrin

0.03

Some

of die most dangerous cancer-causing pesticides are ranked here

according to their carcinogenic potency, a scale of relative carcinogenicity determined

by the Environmental Protection Agency based on

animal experiments.

The

potent the chemical.

Not

larger the all

number, the more carcinogenically

pesticides suspected to cause cancer have

had a cancer potency number assigned, so many pesticides that may cause

human

cancer are not included in this

an asterisk have been banned for use but are

list.

still

Pesticides followed

present in the

soil

by

or are

used on foreign crops, which are then imported into the United States.

I

have not supplied information on the concentrations of each

toxin because this information

would have made the

text

much 39

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

more complex without telling much more about how dangerous the foods are. With very few exceptions, the more total residues that are present in a food, the higher their concentrations. versely, those foods

Con-

with the lowest number of residues usually

have the lowest concentrations. In those few cases where rule does not apply

concentrations,

I

and

a

food with few residues has very high

have pointed

this

under the appropriate yellow or red

For example, a

whopping 332

let's

this

out and placed such foods light category.

compare apples and oranges. Apples had

pesticide residues in the thirty-six samples,

oranges had 115. That is a nearly threefold difference. Whereas apples had residues of several cancer-causing pesticides and industrial petrochemicals, including azinphos-methyl, ben-

zene, captan,

DDT),

DDE

(a

metabolite of the parent

dicofol, parathion,

compound

phosmet, and trichloroethylene,

oranges had either no residues of these pesticides, or the residues had significantly lower concentrations and occurred far less frequently.

Knowing that apples had significantly more we also know that apples had

pesticide residues than oranges,

larger doses of the pesticides that were present. This logic applies in almost

grown apples

all

cases.

The good news

is

that organically

are so reasonably priced and available at so

many

supermarkets, besides health food stores, that you really don't

have to

settle for

chemically laced apples anymore, like

we

did

when we first initiated this war. For shoppers on a budget (and who isn't on a budget these days?), if you have to choose, you should buy organic apples for sure and,

if

possible, organic

oranges. But organic apples would certainly be a higher priority than organic oranges (although organic oranges citrus fruits are also

and other

widely available and competitively priced

with their chemically grown counterparts). In vegetables, contrast collard greens with lettuce. Collard

greens contained 270 pesticide residues, iceberg lettuce only

40

David Steinman

more carcinogenic

Collard greens had far

122.

residues, including residues of dieldrin,

DDE,

pesticide

DDT. Of

and

course, nutritionally speaking, deeply colored collard greens are a rich

source of carotenoids and otiier antioxidants, and they are

probably superior to pale iceberg lettuce, so

wouldn't

I

to prefer iceberg lettuce over collard greens, but I

that

you make purchasing organically grown

high

priority.

Once

again, the

good news

greens,

most

such as

Whole Foods and Wild

likely to

be found

priced with their conventionally

you

tell

would advise

collard greens a

is

that organic collard

at natural

food supermarkets

Oats, are quite competitively

grown

counterparts.

For about one-third of the foods evaluated

in this book, I

was

able to perform relative cancer risk assessments using a standard

Thus

the place-

into green, yellow, and red Hght groups

was based

government formula (during the

ment of foods

first edition).

not only upon the number of total residues and their concentration in food but also

ments. These are

all

on the outcome of these cancer objective benchmarks.

risk assess-

Fve retained these

assessments for this edition, although their accuracy

is

historic.

Cancer-risk assessments are performed using cancer

potency figures assigned by federal agencies to some chemicals.

Not

all

cancer-causing chemicals have been assigned a

cancer potency factor.

I

was able to perform these assessments

only for those foods that contained chemicals for which cancer potencies have been calculated. Cancer potency figures are

based on animal experiments, and the higher the potency factor

number, the more carcinogenic the substance.

I

have

used cancer potency factors that were developed by the EPA. Cancer-risk assessments take into account the potency factor, the

amount of food

ingested, the concentration of

the chemical in the food, and the weight of the consumer.

number

finally derived tells the

chemical alone can cause in

1

number of

The

cancers that one

million persons eating the food

41

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

The

containing that chemical.

formula does not take into

account the cancer burden created by the combination of

many

carcinogens, or by other dietary sources of the same

chemical.

Still,

cancer potency factors are useful as bench-

marks for comparing

relative risks.

In performing these analyses,

I

amounts of all foods would be eaten eat

two ounces of everything

assumed that the same Obviously we don't

daily.

But

daily.

com-

this allows us to

pare the foods objectively. Generally, foods that in a million persons

that

would cause

Foods with Almost

risks all

would cause up

were placed

to five excess cancers

in the green group.

five to ten cancers

Foods

were placed under yellow.

beyond ten were placed under

red.

of the food discussed in this book, including

green light foods, have some pesticide residues. By calling foods with pesticide residues green hght foods, to give the impression that

I

do not mean

absolutely and completely safe

it is

would

to eat foods with toxic residues in them. If I could, I

eat

nothing but foods grown with no toxic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or other substances dangerous to

and the environment. But that the best

I

can by limiting

light foods

my

is

light

light foods I can.

heading are the

become

a

At the end of this chapter (and

list

you can

do

as I've

The foods

safest foods in

mentioned, will also

more savvy shopper. all

food chapters), I've sum-

marized the information in the survival guide into ping

I

consumption of yellow and red

any supermarket. Such groupings, help you to budget and

health

simply not possible. So

and eating all the green

grouped under the green

human

a safe

refer to easily or have copied to take

shop-

shopping

with you.

You may

notice, if

you compare the

survival guide in this

chapter with survival guides in other chapters, that there

is

no

hard line dividing green light foods, yellow light foods, and

42

David Steinman

red light foods.

A vegetable with fifty pesticide residues may be

in the green light group, while a cut of meat with fifty residues is

in the red light group.

This

is

because different kinds of

foods often concentrate different toxins,

more harmful than

some of which

are

others. I have taken these differences into

account in dividing foods into different categories. Green Light

Green

light

means

go!

The

finits

and vegetables

listed

below are

the safest nonorganic foods available. Eat them as often as you

like.

Alfalfa sprouts. Alfalfa sprouts had no detectable pesticide residues, although be sure to

wash your sprouts

avoid food-borne pathogens such as E.

colt.

Asparagus. Residues of chlorpyrifos, thrin six

were found. In

total,

carefully to

DDE,

some twenty-two

and perme-

residues in thirty-

samples were found.

Adzuki

no detectable

pesticide

Bean sprouts had no detectable

pesticide

beans, Adzuki beans had

residues.

Bean

sprouts.

residues.

Black-eyed peas (cowpeas). Black-eyed peas had eighteen pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing five dif-

ferent pesticide formulations: lindane,

methamidophos, and

pentachloroaniline most frequently; acephate and parathion less often.

Cabbage,

Some

twenty-eight chemical residues were

detected in boiled cabbage representing pesticides

or

demeton-S

sulfone, dicloran,

metabolites,

some twelve

including acephate,

different

carbaryl,

and methamidophos.

Carrots, Carrots are relatively low in pesticide saturation; sixty-three

pesticide

residues were

detected in thirty-six

samples representing thirteen different pesticide formulations or their environmental metaboHtes.

The

pesticides

DDE, 43

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

iprodione, and linuron were frequently detected. Organic carrots

are widely available at progressive supermarkets and

health food sores. better,

They

are reasonably priced, they taste

and they are better for everybody. Be wary when Mex-

ican carrots arrive in the United States

from October through

December. Cauliflower

(flresh/flrozeriy boiled).

minimal residues (only twelve

Cauliflower contained

in thirty-six samples) with per-

methrin being most prevalent. Chives, Chives might have occasional fungicide residues

the surface; be sure to

Com

(canned).

wash

on

carefully.

Canned corn had only one

pesticide

residue (diazinon) in thirty-six samples.

Com

(cream-style, canned). Cream-style canned corn had

only fourteen residues in thirty-six samples with chloroform

and toluene most frequently found.

Com

(fresh/frozeny boiled).

Two

residues of the pesticide

diazinon and one of chloroform were detected in thirty-six samples of fresh corn, an extremely safe food,

from the

pesticide

standpoint, although society's overreliance

upon com

for corn

oil ^

and other processed products has led to an overabundance of

proinflammatory omega-6

fatty acids in

our

diet.

These

fatty

acids are linked with heart disease and arthritis. So do beware.

The

thick corn husk keeps sprays

from edible portions.

Cranberry juice. Cranberry juice had no detectable

residues.

Dates. Dates had no detectable pesticide residues.

Eggplant few residues

(fresh, boiled).

(thirty-six)

Figs. Figs

Eggplant had only

a

comparatively

of acephate, methamidophos, and others.

had few detectable pesticide

residues, mainly

malathion.

Fruit cocktail (canned in heavy syrup). Canned tail

had

fifty-five pesticide residues

different

44

pesticide

formulations

representing

or

related

fruit

some

cock-

thirteen

metabolites.

David Steinman

Carbaiyl was detected most frequently with dicofol and ipro-

dione also occurring relatively frequently. Beware of

artificial

colorants used in such products.

Grapefruit (raw).

residues were

Fifty-three pesticide

found representing seven chemicals or their metabolites with thiabendazole in thirty-five of thirty-six samples.

Green peas

(fresh /frozen, boiled).

Green peas had only

twenty-two chemicals with the nerve toxin dimethoate most frequently detected.

Guavas. Guavas had few detectable pesticide residues, mainly dimethoate. Hazelnuts. Hazelnuts had no detectable pesticide residues.

Lemonade

(frozen

concentrate).

Ten residues were

detected in thirty-six samples of lemonade representing six different pesticides or industrial chemicals with chloropyrifos

and methidation appearing most frequently.

Lemons. Lemons had residues of chlorpyrifos,

imazalil,

and thiabendazole. Lentils. Lentils

Lima beans

had no detectable pesticide residues.

(mature). Mature lima beans had nineteen pes-

ticide residues representing nine formulations.

Most frequently

detected pesticides were lindane and methamidophos. Less fre-

quently detected pesticides included

DCPA,

BHC,

chlorpyrifos,

dimethoate, penta, tecnazene, and toxaphene.*

Limes. Limes had only infrequent detectable pesticide residues, particularly ethion.*

Mixed

vegetables (frozen, boiled).

sixty-five residues

Mixed vegetables had

with acephate and methamidophos making

their usual troubling appearance.

Navy

beans.

Navy beans had two

pesticide residues,

BHC

and diazinon.*

Okra

(fresh /frozen,

boiled).

dimethoate and endosulfan,

Okra had residues of

among its twenty-nine

residues, in

45

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

thirty-six

market basket samples. Okra improved,

moving from yellow light to green. Onions. Onions had few residues, only two

actually,

in thirty-six

market baskets. Papayas. Papayas had no detectable pesticide residues.*

Peaches (canned in light/mediutn syrup). fresh peaches

when

it

comes

Much

safer than

to pesticide residues, canned

peaches had only forty-two chemical residues in thirty-six samples, including carbaryl and iprodione. If eat peaches, I

I

would choose the canned product

were going to (in a lead-free

can) without hesitation; processing and peeling can markedly

reduce pesticide contamination. Fresh peaches are

far

more

pesticide saturated.

Peaches (canned in light/medium syrup). Carbaryl, found in two-thirds, of samples,

was most frequently detected among

forty-two pesticide or industrial chemical residues.

Pears (canned in light syrup). Canned pears in light syrup

had

six pesticide residues,

Peas (mature, dry, light rating

including endosulfan.

boiled).

Green peas kept

their green

with fifteen residues in thirty-six samples.

thorough cleaning

as well as the processing

accounts for their lower pesticide

The

of canned peas

levels.

Pecans. Pecans had fourteen residues representing four different formulations. Diazinon and pentachlorobenzene were

detected in at least one-fourth of the samples, malathion and

tecnazene

less

frequently*

Pineapple juice (canned). Pineapple juice also retained

green light ranking with only

six pesticide residues

a

detected in

thirty-six samples.

Pineapples. Pineapples from Hawaii had ticide residues;

however, pineapples imported from Mexico

contained residues of tachlor.

46

no detectable pes-

BHC,

carbaryl, chlorpyrifos,

Buy domestically grown pineapples when

and hep-

possible.*

David Steinman

Pinto

one of

hearts,

Pinto beans had one chemical, iprodione, in

thirty-six samples.

You can

eat plenty of pinto beans, a

staple of Mexican cuisine.

(mashed from flakes). Eighty-nine chemicals were found with chlorpropham in all thirty-six samples and Potatoes

endosulfan in nineteen. Radishes.

There were thirty-two pesticide residues in radishes

representing eleven pesticides. Detected in at least one-fourth of the samples were

DCPA, DDT,

endosulfan, and toxaphene. Less

frequendy detected pesticides included chlorpropham, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dieldrin, heptachlor,

omethoate, and parathion.

Rapini, Rapini had occasional residues of

Red

BHC, line,

Red beans had seven

beans.

thirty-six

DCPA.

pesticide residues in

samples representing seven pesticide formulations:

diazinon, dieldrin, endosulfan, lindane, pentachloroani-

and penta.*

Sauerkraut (canned). Thank

God

for sauerkraut,

which

had only eighteen residues. Dieldrin and endosulfan were found most often.

Sesame

seeds.

Sesame seeds occasionally had residues of

endosulfan. Shallots. Shallots

Snap green

beans.

residues representing

or metabolites. acephate,

had no detectable pesticide residues. Snap beans had thirty-four

some twelve

The most frequendy

DDT,

pesticide

different pesticide formulations

detected pesticides included

dicloran, endosulfan,

and methamidophos. Less

frequendy detected pesticides included

BHC,

dicofol, parathion,

pentachloroaniline, penta, quintozene, and vinclozolin.

Canned

snap beans had twelve pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing four different pesticide formulations.

Methamidophos

was detected most frequently; acephate, dimethoate, and parathion less often. Again, the processing of canned produce

probably

is

the reason for the presence of fewer pesticides.

47

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Sunflower

Sunflower seeds had no detectable pesti-

seeds.

cide residues.

Sweet potatoes their

baked). Sweet potatoes baked in

(fresh,

skins were another moderately pesticide-saturated veg-

etable,

with

thirty-six

fifty industrial

samples representing a dozen different formulations

The most

and metabolites. dicloran.

or pesticide residues detected in

fi-equently detected residue

Sweet potatoes achieved

a

green ranking

this

was year

over their earlier yellow Hght classification. Tangerines, Tangerines had slight residues of chlorpyrifos, ethion, imazafil, methidathion, and thiabendazole.

Watercress, Watercress had

Watermelon

no detectable pesticide residues.

(raw). Thirty- three industrial chemical and

pesticide residues

were detected

melon representing some

in thirty-six samples of water-

pesticides or metabolites.

The most

frequently detected pesticide was endosulfan with hexa-

chlorobenzene and methamidophos next. Less frequently detected chemicals included dicloran and heptachlor.

Watermelon

Watermelon seeds had no detectable which is good news since children often

seeds.

pesticide residues,

devour them. YeWow

Light

The finits and vegetables in this yellow light section have higher pesticide saturation than those in the green light section.

should

still

eat foods from

organic, but, frankly,

this

many of these food

available in their purer organic tively priced, so

group even

form

if

you

items are

as well as

You

can't get

now readily

being competi-

why wouldn't anybody choose them? I want to

emphasize once again that

all

cide saturated, are better for

plant foods, even the

you

to eat

most

more of than

pesti-

the worst

animal foods. But, on the other hand, the extent of pesticide

contamination in these yellow lights foods

48

is

appalling.

David Steinman

Apple juice

(bottled),

Apple

juice

had seventy-one

pesti-

cide residues in thirty-six samples with, as usual over the last

and omethoate making

fifteen years, carbaryl, dimethoate,

their ugly appearance

guest, the fungicide juice

is

available in

and bringing their frequent obnoxious

and carcinogen benomyl. Organic apple

many grocery stores.

Fortunately,

it

would

many of the made our Red Light

appear that processing of apple juice removes residues from fresh apples; (fresh apples

because of their complete chemical saturation). Apple

list

juice

from Europe

also bears

minute traces of radiation from

the Chernobyl nuclear accident (more

on

this later in the

chapter).

Applesauce

(bottled).

Applesauce had ninety-seven residues

in thirty-six samples representing approximately twenty dif-

ferent chemicals.

The most

were dimethoate and third or

more of

frequently detected pesticides

carbaryl,

which were present

in at one-

samples. Less frequently detected industrial

chemicals and pesticides included endosulfan, omethoate, and thiabendazole.

Artichokes. Artichokes had residues of endosulfan.

Avocados. seven in

A wide range of industrial petrochemicals (sixty-

total)

were found

in avocados, including benzene,

chloroform, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, and xylene, drop-

ping nonorganic avocados into

a

lower yellow light ranking.

Bananas. Thirty-six samples of bananas had frequent residues of benzene, thiabendazole, and toluene, in total

seventy-one residues,

many making

their first

ances in the Total Diet Study results

second banana

—instead of

first

known appear-

— and making

banana and

a

this fruit

green Hght

fruit,

as in the earlier results.

Beets (fresh /frozen, boiled). Thirty-six samples of beets

had

fifty-six residues

sulfan

with

DCPA, DDE,

dieldrin,

and endo-

most frequently appearing. 49

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Blackberries. Blackberries had residues of captan, rovral,

Buy frozen organic

dichlofluanid, and vinclozolin. ries

from Cascadian Farm for

a treat

without pesticides.

Blueberries. Blueberries tend to be contaminated

with captan, then chemicals such

blackber-

as botran, rovral,

most often and

DDT.

Buy organic berries. For a nontoxic taste treat, try Cascadian Farm fresh frozen organic blueberries on nonfat yogurt. Broccoli (fresh /frozen^ boiled). Broccoli had ninety-one residues in thirty-six samples representing fifteen different pesticides or their metabolites. ticides, in at least

pyrifos,

Most

frequently detected pes-

one-fourth of the samples, included chlor-

DCPA, DDE,

endosulfan, and permethrin. Certified

organic broccoli would be a health bargain compared with

chemical cousins even

good news

is

if it

its

were much more expensive, but the

that organic broccoh runs about the market price

as the chemically

grown

type.

Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts had

some 121

pesticide

residues in thirty-six samples, including traces of chlorpyrifos,

DDE,

and permethrin.

Cantaloupe (raw). Because so many people love them, wish

I

nately,

had better news to report on cantaloupes. Unfortuhowever, cantaloupes had

130 pesticide residues

detected in thirty-six samples representing

two

I

different pesticides or their metabolites.

some twentyThe pesticides

detected most frequently were dimethoate,

endosulfan,

methamidophos, and toxaphene. Less frequently detected were

dieldrin, endrin,

and heptachlor, which

sional appearances in food despite being

still

make occa-

banned or Hmited

in

use in the United States and other coimtries in the seventies. In

my

study of Mexican cantaloupes,

residues were quite prevalent.

I

found that dieldrin

Mexican cantaloupes

arrive

from October through June, and our consumption of them

is

heaviest through the winter. Eating an average of slightly less

50

David Steinman

than two ounces of cantaloupe result in a risk of as

many

as

day over

a

That is simply too

million persons.

would

a lifetime

seventeen excess cancers^ in one high. Substitute pineapple,

watermelon, or grapefruit for chemically grown cantaloupe, or

buy organically grown cantaloupe whenever

possible.

Carrots (fresh, boiled). Carrots are relatively low in pesticide saturation; sixty-three pesticide residues

were detected

in

samples representing thirteen different pesticide for-

thirty-six

mulations or their environmental metabolites.

DDE,

ipro-

dione, and linuron were frequently detected. Organic carrots are widely available at progressive supermarkets

food sores.

They

they are better for everybody. Be wary arrive in the

Cherry

when Mexican

Cherry

tomatoes.

Chili peppers.

Chili

bisdithiocarbamates

tomatoes

carrots

had

excess cancers

in a

of

peppers had residues of ethylene

(EBDCs) and

means

residues

and methamidophos.*

parathion.

dangerous cancer-causing fungicides known

^The term

and

United States from October through December.

chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan,

would expect

and health

are reasonably priced, they taste better,

that

The group of EBDCs may

as

beyond the number of cancer incidences we

normal unexposed population of one million persons, there

could be additional cancers as a result of the pesticides that contaminate a certain food, the

air,

or our water. Cancer risks are determined by using the best available

laboratory animal data and translating these data to humans.

reasonably accurate. a million to

risks

I

They

are probably

consider any cancer risk below four or five excess cancers in

when compared with the cancer Mind you, I do not condone even become so profoundly common. But

be relatively insignificant, especially

posed by some of our more toxic foods.

one excess cancer

in

an age where cancer has

in a comparative sense, that

number

is

relatively insignificant.

Excess cancer assessments take into account the total concentration of car-

cinogens in

a food,

not just the

that foods with relatively

number of residues. You may

notice occasionally

low numbers of residues have high excess cancer

ments, and vice versa. This

is

assess-

because a food with a few residues could have traces

of particularly carcinogenic substances, while one with

low concentrations of relatively mild

many

residues could have

pesticides.

51

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

cause

lung, and thyroid tumors, according to studies, as

liver,

They

well as birth defects and mutations.

widely used fungicides in the world, yet

among the most our own government are

has very poor laboratory methods for their detection.*

Choysum. Choysum, which

bok choy heart and

is

actually Chinese chard or

sometimes had extremely high

levels

in

homemade

coleslaw with

ferent chemicals represented.

benzene,

BHC, DDT,

Cranberries,

Most

California,

of malathion.*

Coleslaw (with dressing, homemade).

were found

from

available year-round

Some

121 residues

some twenty-six

dif-

frequently detected with

endosulfan, hndane, and toluene.

Cranberries

had

of

residues

captafol,

chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, and parathion.*

Crenshaw melons. Crenshaw melons had sulfan and

residues of endo-

methamidophos.*

Escarole.

had residues of dimethoate and

Escarole

omethoate.*

Grape juice (frozen concentrate). Grape

juice

had forty-

nine pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing eight pesticide formulations or their metabolites with carbaryl and

dimethoate the most frequent contaminants. Grape juice is safer than grapes as processing and pressing remove but,

still, if

you can buy organic grape

Grapefruit juice.

juice,

many

you

residues,

should.

Forty-two pesticide residues were

detected in thirty-six samples of grapefruit juice representing

nine pesticide formulations or their metabolites. Ethion was

found most frequently.

Green beans

(fresh /frozen,

One hundred fiftybeans. More than half the

boiled).

three residues were found in green

samples contained the cancer-causing pesticide acephate and the

acute

neurotoxin methamidophos.

detected included

DDE,

dicloran, dieldrin, endosulfan, neb-

uron, permethrin, and vincolozolin.

52

Other pesticides

David Steinman

Honeydew melon, Honeydew had chlorpyrifos,

thalonil,

dieldrin,

of chloro-

residues

dimethoate,

endosulfan,

methamidophos, and omethoate.* Iceberg lettuce (raw). Lettuce had

1.32

detected in thirty-six samples representing ticide formulations.

The most

pesticide residues

some eighteen

pes-

frequently detected pesticides

were acephate, endosulfan, and methamidophos. Less frequently detected pesticides were acephate, dimethoate, disulfoton sul-

methamidophos, and omethoate

fone, endosulfan,

permethrin thrown in

—with some

as special toxic seasoning.

discard the outer leaves of chemically

grown

Be sure

to

lettuce; those

leaves have the greatest pesticide saturation, I used to say.

However, the progress, comrades, we have made since in detoxifying this world

priced lettuce

is

evident in the leaves of competitively

grown without petrochemical

pesticides.

Jalapeno peppers. Jalapeiio peppers had residues of acephate,

BHC,

ethion,

sulfan,

carbaryl, chlorpyrifos,

fenvalerate,

DDT,

diazinon, endo-

Hndane, malathion, monocro-

tophos, methamidophos, and omethoate.* Kale. Kale had residues of sulfan,

DCPA, DDT,

diazinon, endo-

and permethrin.*

Kiwi fruit. Kiwi had residues of diazinon, phosmet, and vinclozolin.*

Leeks. Leeks had residues of

DCPA and

Lima beans (immature). Immature eighty-seven residues of formulations. dicofol, ticides

Most

some

quintozene.*

lima beans had

thirteen different chemical

frequently detected were

acephate,

and methamidophos. Less frequently detected pesincluded

DCPA, DDE,

dimethoate, hndane, and

omethoate.

Mung

beans.

Mung

beans had residues of lindane,

malathion, pirimiphosmethyl, and quintozene.*

Mushrooms

(raw).

Mushrooms had eighty-one

residues in

53

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

thirty-six

samples representing with thiabedazole, benomyl,

diazinon, and permethrin appearing

most

frequently.

Nectarines. Nectarines had residues of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dicloran, endosulfan, and phosmet.*

Orange juice (from frozen

concentrate).

Orange

juice

had

seventy-seven pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing fifteen different pesticide formulations, petrochemicals,

or metabohtes.

The most

frequently detected pesticide

was ethion; however, both benzene and toluene, two petrochemicals, dicofol.

were

This

is

ical

orange juice

ally

and

many

at

also

a real is

frequently found, along with

fairly

problem

for

most consumers since chem-

half the price of organic orange juice usu-

two to three

dollars a carton already expensive.

shoppers, purchasing organic orange juice

question. I'm one of them, so

I

admit

share of dietary poisons. But

I

do have

is

usually drink

I

For

out of the

up

my fair

a great idea.

Oranges (raw). Oranges had 116 residues

in thirty-six

samples. Troubling were chlorpyrifos, dicofol, and endosulfan.

Organic oranges are so widely

priced, tastier,

and so much

available, competitively

safer to eat,

it

just

makes sense

to

prefer them. Parsley. Parsley had residues of chlorpyrifos,

DCPA, DDT,

diazinon, and disulfoton sulfone.*

Parsnips. Parsnips had residues of drin, heptachlor,

DDT,

diazinon, diel-

and tecnazene.*

Persimmons. Persimmons had residues of dicloran.

Poblano peppers.

Poblano peppers had residues of

acephate, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, ethion, malathion, and

methamidophos.* Pomegranates. Pomegranates had residues of dicloran.

Pomegranate

juice

is

being clinically studied for

benefits in vascular disease. full

54

with antioxidants.*

its

promising

When processed fresh, it is packed

David Steinman

Potatoes (scalloped). Eighty-eight residues were found with

DDE

seventeen formulations represented. Chlorpropham,

and endosulfan were detected most frequently. Potatoes (white, boiled without skin). Boiled peeled potatoes

had

skins.

less pesticide saturation

than potatoes baked in their

Ninety-three residues were detected in thirty-six sam-

ples of boiled potatoes representing approximately fifteen dif-

ferent formulations

The most

or metabolites.

frequently

detected residues were chlorpropham, endosulfan, and ethyl-

DDE,

enethiourea. Less frequently detected were chlordane,

demeton-S

sulfone, nonachlor,

and tecnazene. Peeling did not

eliminate aldicarb, which indicates that

it

permeates potatoes,

in earHer studies.

In the most recent study, no aldicarb was found on potatoes,

but aldicarb

is

still

used on the crop. Aldicarb

at

extremely low exposure levels has been shown to promote

changes in the

common

human immune

potato-growing regions of

New

York,

consin, and other states. Aldicarb fornia's

system.

It

has

become

a

and dangerous drinking-water contaminant in

is

Rhode

Island,

Wis-

so dangerous that Cali-

Department of Health Services has proposed

to

ban

the use of this chemical, but the federal government unwisely

continues to allow

much

its

use throughout the rest of America on

of the potato crop.

The

effects

ticularly acute for children; indeed,

of aldicarb

some

may be

par-

children probably

are going through bouts of flulike illnesses, the real cause of

which could be low-level pesticide poisoning. This

just

does

not need to happen. Organically grown potatoes are the best solution. In the

Prunes

new millennium,

(dried).

the price

is

right.

Prunes were saturated. They had 126

industrial-pollutant and pesticide residues detected in thirty-six

samples representing eighteen different industrial-pollutant and pesticide formulations

and their metabolites. Most frequently

55

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

detected pesticides included

DDE,

dicofol, endosulfan, ipro-

dione, and propargite. Less frequently detected were carbaiyl, chlorpyrifos, malathion, permethrin,

and toluene.

Radishes (raw). Radishes had 101 residues of twenty-five different industrial pollutants in

twenty-two of the

and

pesticides, including

DDE

thirty-six samples, dieldrin in fourteen,

endosulfan in eleven, and more than coincidental appearances

of chlordane, endrin, heptachlor, and toxaphene. If you want to attend a reunion of

all

the bad-boy banned chemicals from

the seventies, just eat a raw radish.

Raspberries most often were coated with

Raspberries,

residues of captan (sometimes at concentrations above one part per million, which tion), carbaryl,

is

a significantly elevated concentra-

procymidone, and dichlofluanid.*

Rutabagas. Rutabagas had residues of chlorpyrifos.*

Serrano

chilies.

The

hottest of

all chili

peppers, Serrano

peppers had residues of azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, fenvalerate, methamidophos, and omethoate.*

Spinach (canned). Canned spinach undergoes processing that significantly cuts

down

pesticide saturation.*

thirty-five pesticide residues in thirty-six

There were

samples of canned

spinach representing twelve pesticide formulations and envi-

ronmental metabolites. least

DDT and permethrin were found in at BHC, chlordane, chlorheptachlor, HCB, methamidophos,

one-fourth of the samples.

propham,

DCR\ dicloran,

parathion, and pentachloroaniline were found less frequently.

This

is

an improvement over fresh spinach, but

bad. Stay cally

it's still

pretty

away from chemically grown spinach. Buy organi-

grown spinach

for

its

purity.

String beans. String beans had residues of acephate, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, ethion,

Swiss chard. permethrin.*

56

methamidophos, and omethoate.*

Swiss chard had residues of

DCPA

and

David Steinman

DDT,

Tomato juice

lindane, and

(bottled).

residues representing nine

detected were carbaryl,

BHC, DDT,

had

Tomatillos

Tomatillos. chlorothalonil,

Tomato

had

thirty-five

Most

frequently

juice

formulations.

and methamidophos.

endosulfan,

dicofol, parathion,

BHC,

of

residues

methamidophos.*

and pentachlorobenzene were

frequently detected.

less

Tomato sauce

(plain,

With

bottled).

eighty pesticide

residues in thirty-six samples of canned tomatoes, representing

the pesticides

DDE,

endosulfan, and methamidophos, tomato

sauce was given a yellow light ranking this time around.

Tomato

(stewed, canned). Forty-nine chemicals

with methamidophos and endosulfan

among

were found

the

most

fi*e-

quent contaminants.

Turnips (fresh /frozen, boiled). Turnips had eighty- three with frequent residues of chlorpyrifos,

DCPA, DDE, and

dieldrin.

Turnip greens. Turnip greens had residues of

DDT, EBDCs,

DCPA,

mevinphos, and permethrin.*

Winter squash

(fresh/frozen, baked,

mashed). Winter squash

had 118 residues representing some twenty-five different formulations

or their environmental metabolites.

Most

fi-equendy

detected pesticides, in at least one-fourth of the samples, included

chlordane and tachlor. Less

its

metabolites, dieldrin, endosulfan, and hep-

frequendy detected were

DDE, hexachlorobenzene,

lindane, nonachlor, octachlor, toluene,

average of slighdy

less

and toxaphene. Eating an

than two ounces of winter squash a day

over a lifetime would result in a whopping risk of as sixty-two excess cancers in a milHon persons.

K^d

Buy

many

as

organic.

Light

These red

light foods are far

more

pesticide saturated than other

plant foods. Substitute organic varieties for taste and safety.

57

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Apples.

(NRDC)

When

the Natural Resources Defense Council

undertook the task of informing consumers about

the dangers of cancer-causing Alar to children and adults, their

message created one of the major food-safety controversies of the decade. As

many

as six

tract cancer as a result

thousand young children

NRDC

in

study. Alar

its

growth regulator that enables apples to stay on the use of Alar so tragic was that

and added so much

risk.

cally perfect apples could

But

I

con-

of the presence of Alar in apples and

apple products, asserted the

What made

may

The

it

is

a

trees longer.

was not needed

industry claimed that cosmeti-

not be grown without

this chemical.

haven't noticed any shortage of apples or price increases

this year,

have you? In

industry because

it

fact, its

spurred

to the creation of the fast

removal was good for the apple

much needed

innovations and led

growing organic apple industry.

Organic apples are everywhere available and usually about the

same

price as their chemically maligned conventional cousins.

Alar

may not

be used any longer on domestic apples, but

plenty of other cancer-causing and neurotoxic chemicals are.

Red raw

apples had 342 pesticide residues representing

some

thirty-nine different chemicals in thirty-six samples, in turn

representing twenty different pesticide formulations. That's a lot of pesticides!

Most

frequently detected pesticides included

azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, sulfan,

DDE,

dicloran, dicofol, endo-

methoxychlor, phosalone, phosmet, toluene, and

xylene. If

you do buy nonorganic

apples, I

recommend

them or use a produce wash designed which is often laced with cancer-causing peel

many

pesticides

from the

fruit's surface.

to

that

you

remove wax,

fungicides, and

Simply spray a

little

produce wash on the apple, wipe with your hands, and rinse in pure water. Produce washes are usually available near the produce section of your supermarket and in health and natural

58

David Steinman

food stores. But not off;

some

all

the pesticides in apples can be washed

are systemic and permeate the entire

recommend

that

firuit. I

you buy organic apples and apple

highly

juice.

Apricots (raw). Apricots had 157 residues of azinphos-

methyl, benomyl,

captan,

valerate, parathion-methyl,

yellow to red

carbaryl,

DDE,

diazinon,

fen-

and phosmet. Apricots drop from

light.

Whew. Celery had 240

Celery (raw).

residues repre-

senting thirty-one pesticide formulations or their metabolites.

Making chemically grown

egregious choice

is

celery

a

particularly

the farmer's use of acephate, which

cancer-causing chemical, and that

is

a

DDE was in twenty-six of

the thirty-six market basket samples. Another nasty chemical is

2,4-dichloro-6-nitrobenzenaniine. Acephate,

dicloran, endosulfan,

DDT,

diazinon,

methamidophos, permethrin, and 2,4-

dichloro-6-nitrobenzenamine were detected in

at least

one-

fourth of the samples. Less frequently detected pesticides included chlorothalonil, chlorpropham, disulfoton sulfone,

methomyl, and parathion. Buy organic celery a

wonderful daylong snack food.

you need not be concerned about

It's

instead;

it

makes

reasonably priced, and

pesticide residues.

Cherries (sweet, raw). Cherries had 215 pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing

pesticide

some twenty-five

different

formulations or environmental metabolites. Fre-

quently detected pesticides included azinphos-methyl, a carcinogen,

carbaryl,

malathion, represent cals. It's

endosulfan,

permethrin,

fenvalerate,

iprodione,

and

and phosmet. These chemicals

some potent cancer-causing and neurotoxic chemi-

too bad, too. Cherries are

filled

potential, but being a soft fruit are

without chemicals

at a

with great antioxidant

most

difficult to

grow

competitive price. Be sure to buy lots of

organic cherries in season and switch to other fruits during

other parts of the year, or go ahead and eat chemical cherries.

59

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Cherries are

filled

with ellagic

acid, a

potent anticancer agent,

and melatonin, the pineal gland hormone that helps put us to

which makes cherries

sleep at night,

a great

nighttime snack.

Collard greens (fresh /Jrozen, boiled). Collards are rich in

B vitamins, but unfortunately they are pestiThey had 260 residues in thirty-six samples

carotenoids and cide saturated.

representing approximately forty-two different pesticide for-

mulations or their metabolites. Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin,

DCPA, DDE, thrin

dieldrin, endosulfan, fenvalerate,

and perme-

were detected most frequently. Chlordane, demeton-s

sulfone, diazinon, dimethoate,

methamidophos, mevinphos,

nonachlor, omethoate, and pentachloroaniline were found often. Collard greens are a high-toxin food.

Your solution

organic substitution, which, nowadays, for this food,

compared with the chemically laden

nicely priced

Cucumbers

(raw).

less

is

is

quite

crops.

Even pared cucumbers contain plenty of

pesticide contamination.

Some 189

pesticide residues

were

detected in thirty-six samples representing approximately

twenty-four different pesticide formulations or environmental metabolites. bers.

cukes.

Toxaphene frequently

taints

nonorganic cucum-

Dieldrin and endosulfan also frequently contaminate

Other

pesticides detected included chlordane, endrin,

and methamidophos, methamidophos, methomyl, nonachlor, and octachlor. All these pesticides are either carcinogens or neurotoxins. Eating an average of slightly less than two ounces

of cucumbers a day over a lifetime would result in a risk of as

many

as

thirty- four

excess

Organic cucumbers are

a

cancers in a million persons.

much

better choice for reducing pes-

ticide exposure.

Grapes (red/green,

seedless, raw).

The 1989

cyanide-in-

Chilean-grapes scare was ironic. Because cyanide-tainted grapes posed an immediate threat, the decision to stop ship-

ments from Chile probably was wise 60

—provided that the scare

David Steinman

was

real

and not manufactured by

many more consumers and even death

a

beleaguered agenq^ trying

from the pesticide problem. But

to divert public attention

are likely to suffer premature cancers

as a result

of the pesticide contamination of

grown and imported grapes than from a few cyanide-tainted grapes. Unfortunately, grapes from Mexico domestically

and Chile, the two largest exporters, often contain the fungicide captan.

Among

its

breakdown products, one

closely

resembles the severe birth defect-causing chemical thalidomide. Captan

among

is

suspected of being a cause of birth defects

the babies of

potent carcinogen. sible

women

It is

farm workers. Captan

is

also a

not the kind of chemical to which sen-

people want their children exposed. Furthermore,

Mex-

ican grapes are sprayed with omethoate, a pesticide that U.S.

farmers are not even allowed to use on food crops. Omethoate is

an acute neurotoxic pesticide to which neither consumers

nor Mexican farm workers should be exposed. The

done

little

to stop omethoate-tainted grapes

FDA

has

from entering the

market from Mexico.

No matter where your grapes are from, unless they've been grown

organically,

tamination. In the residues of

you should expect low-level

FDA

some twenty-nine

or environmental metabolites. cides, in a least

different pesticide formulations

Most

frequently detected pesti-

one-fourth of the samples, included captan,

chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, iprodione,

and omethoate. Less

quently detected pesticides included carbaryl, dicofol, dieldrin, folpet, zolin.

pesticide con-

Total Diet Study, grapes had 172

DDE,

fre-

diazinon,

methomyl, propargite, and vinclo-

Fortunately for consumers,

California

table-grape

growers are moving quickly toward totally organic agriculture. Already, organic grapes are widely available at mainstream

supermarkets, as well as health food stores. They're worth

not only to you, but to the

men and women who work

it,

in the

61

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

grape

fields

of Kern and Tulare County with the

wood

crosses

bearing up the vines of the burden of grapes.

Green peppers (raw). Green peppers had 256 residues thirty-six tions.

in

samples representing some thirty different formula-

Most

frequently detected pesticides were the cancer-

causing acephate (in thirty of thirty-six samples), chlorpropham, chlorpyrifos,

DDE,

dicofol, dimethoate, endosulfan,

methami-

dophos, nethomyl, omethoate, and permethrin. Less frequently detected chemicals included carbaryl, cyfluthrin, fenvarlerate.

pepper

is

The

sheer

number of

pesticides

amazing. In one study of the

DCPA, and

on each

FDA crop records,

bell

out

of 233 samples that were tested, 419 pesticide residues were detected,

meaning most samples had two or more

Today, the situation

is

residues.

even worse with each sample bearing

an average of around seven different chemicals or their metabolites.

Nuts (mixed, no peanuts, dry six

chemicals were found with

roasted).

BHC,

Two hundred forty-

styrene,

and xylene

fre-

quently detected.

Peaches (raw). Peaches are dangerous in more ways than one.

They're right up there with apples. Tests detected 266 industrial chemical and pesticide residues in thirty-six samples of peaches

some twenty-seven pesticide formulations, petroor their metaboHtes. Most fi*equently detected pesti-

representing chemicals,

cides included cancer-causing azinphos-methyl (twenty-nine of thirty-six samples), captan, carbaryl, diazinon, dicloran, dicofol,

endosulfan, parathion, phosmet, and thiabendazole. Less fre-

quendy detected chemicals included all

in the food after

cooking and preparation.

that captan,

banned

—but

with it's

and

of these heavy-duty toxic substances remain

xylene. Virtually

That peaches have captan

62

chlorpyrifos, phosmet,

its

residues

is

troubling. I predicted

thalidomidelike metabolite, will be

not been, and

it

ought to

be, because of the

David Steinman

danger of birth defects. American

field

workers should not be

forced to tolerate a highly risky chemical like captan just so

can have peaches;

bird

and parathion use

kills

The

also quite disturbing.

is

is

not healthy living

any way you cut that Georgia peach.

for the nation

parathion

too high a cost. That

it's

is

One

is

use of

where parathion

farmer told

to see the dying birds, but parathion

The

connection between

quite clear:

used, bird populations decline.

me

it.

icity

whenever

a piece

she has to retrieve

she hates

cheap, so her family

it.

of equipment

The

farmers

I

buy organic peaches when

their best

—they

offer

maximum

in the orchard

know

say they wish they

protection for the folks in the a taste treat.

Peanuts (dry roasted). Peanuts take

among

the

a top

ranking for

most pesticide-saturated crops and foods

diet,

my

they're in season and priced

and their children, and they are

American

and

is left

did not have to use parathion. For your family, here's

fields

is

She said she herself experiences parathion-induced tox-

uses

advice:

we

in the

based on results from the Total Diet Study.

Peanuts had 282 residues in thirty-six samples representing

some twenty-nine metabolites. chlorpyrifos,

Most

different chemicals or their environmental fi*equently detected pesticides

DDE,

were

BHC,

dieldrin, endosulfan, pentachloroaniline,

pentachlorobenzene, pentaclorophenyl, quintozene, and toxa-

phene. Less fi*equently detected were chloroform, lindane,

permethrin, styrene, and toluene. Eating an average of slightly less

than two ounces of dry-roasted peanuts a day over a

time would result in in

a risk

one million persons.

of as

A

many

as

life-

twenty excess cancers

naturally occurring carcinogenic

mold, aflatoxin, grows on peanuts, adding to the potential risk of this food. field to

Look

for organic brands that are sun-dried in the

prevent aflatoxin growth. Arrowhead Mills organic

peanut butter

is

made with peanuts

dried this way.

pro-peanut grower newspapers in the South trashed

The

Diet. I

63

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

know why. Truth

hurts sometimes. Taking a positive spin,

many more varieties

there certainly are ters available,

from

and

it is

of organic peanut but-

crowded marketplace where your gaze

a

label to label to find

your

favorite.

the organic peanut butters; one of

them

just

can

drift

replace Skippy in your child's

Try some of

might be able to

PB and J.

Pears (raw). There were 176 pesticide or industrial chemical

residues in thirty-six samples of pears representing

twenty-seven different pesticide formulations. Most frequently detected pesticides, in a least one-fourth of the samples,

included azinphos-methyl, endosulfan, phosmet, and

thiabendazole. Carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dicofol, and

parathion were detected

less frequently.

Buy organic pears. My

favorites are Asian pears, the oldest cultivated pear

They

they're sweet and crunchy. their applelike shape

known.

grow without chemicals, and

are a fairly easy fruit to

You can recognize

these pears by

and green, yellow, or russet

skin.

Asian

pears are available from July to late October. Asian pears are

known as apple pear, Japanese pear, chalea, and shali. Plums (raw). Plums had 171 pesticide and industrial chemical residues representing some twenty-one different formulaalso

tions or their metaboHtes.

and parathion were most often detected.

dicofol, iprodione,

Chemicals

less

Benomyl, chlorpyrifos, dicloran,

frequently detected included 2,4-dichloro-6-

nitrobenzenamine, azinphos-methyl, diazinon, dicofol, omethoate,

and phosmet. Fortunately, organic plums are reasonably

priced. I always wait

plums flood the

till

the middle of summer

shelves, shining

and

when the

organic

enticing.

Potatoes (white, baked with skin). Potatoes baked in their skins

had 205 residues of some

mulations,

their

metabolites,

thirty different pesticide for-

and industrial chemicals.

Residues detected in at least one-fourth of the samples were 2,3,5,6-tetrachloroaniline, chlorpropham,

64

which

is

used as a

David Steinman

postharvest pesticide to prevent potatoes from sprouting a possible

mutagen),

enethiourea,

DDE, DDT,

isopropyl

(3

(it is

dieldrin, endosulfan, ethyl-

-chloro-4-methoxyphenyl) carba-

mate, and thiabendazole. Less frequently detected pesticides

and

petrochemicals

included

chlordane,

chloroform,

demeton-s sulfone, dicloran, heptachlor, isopropyl (3-chloro4-methoxy-phenyl) carbamate, nonachlor, pentachloroaniline,

phorate sulfone, and tecnazene. These are chemically

hot potatoes. Eating an average of slightly

ounces of baked potatoes a conservative risk of as

a

day over

many

a lifetime

less

than two

would

result in

as eleven excess cancers in

one

million persons, according to the earlier work. Ifyou must eat chemically

grown

Forget about

potatoes, it

is

best to peel them. Potato skins?

it.

Raisins (dried). Raisins had 200 industrial chemical and pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing twenty-

seven different formulations or metaboHtes.

Isn't that tragic?

In 1990, raisins had "only" 110 residues in sixteen samples.

Chemical contamination of

raisins

has at best improved

maringally from 6.9 chemicals per sample versus 5.5 in the

more recent results. Some of the same troubling chemicals the industry sprayed on raisins in 1990 were for the most part sprayed in 2006, but some new petrochemicals and solvents also reared their ugly heads. The most frequently detected residues included benzene, carbaryl, sulfan, ethion, propargite, toluene,

detected were chloroform,

DDE,

dicofol,

endo-

and xylene. Less frequently

diazinon,

fenarinol,

parathion,

phosmet, and tirchloroethylene. Eating an average of slightly less

than two ounces of raisins

result in a risk of as

many

as

a

day over

a lifetime

twenty-one excess cancers in

million persons, according to earlier data; because so

the risk

stemmed from

DDE

would

and dicofol,

this risk

a

much

of

today

is

also real. In fact, thirty-one of thirty-six samples contained

65

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

and thirty-two contained

dicofol,

of dicofol. That

a

is

DDE and DDT, metabolites

heavy cancer price to pay for eating

raisins.

There

are solutions.

sell raisins

The

first

would be

for

Sun-Maid

to

without dicofol, which the company does not do. In

Freedom Press reporter asked Sun-Maid why there were residues of dicofol on their raisins and whether the company considered it a risk. The company told our reporter: 2006, a

In response to your inquiry, dicofol has been for

Do Not

on the Sun-Maid

Use

List.

As a

result

many

years

Sun-Maid

growers have not used dicofol for approximately ten years. Part of our rationale

is

founded on the opinion of scientific

leaders as well as information presented in the Reregistration Eligibility

Decision hearings of the U.S. EPA.

—Joe Kretsch,

technical services representative,

Sun-Maid Growers of California

Unfortunately, our raisins,

own

laboratory testing of Sun-Maid

which were purchased

at

supermarkets in Southern

Cahfornia, indicated that their raisins indeed contained low levels

of dicofol.

The

solution

is

so simple and inexpensive since certified

organic raisins can match the raisins from Sun-Maid in terms

of taste and variety.

They

grown without any

pesticides, reducing the risk that

children, is

who

are better, though, because they are

our

little

eat raisins daily as a lunchtime snack because

it

natural, will have cancer develop as their exposure to dicofol

and

DDE and DDT continues.

—one of the major suppliers of produce nation —has bought an organic raisin-packing house, Dole

in

the

and

helped to make organic raisins mainstream. Buying organic is

66

the

way

to

go for

raisins.

Organically grown raisins have

David Steestman

significantly fewer, if any, residues,

and their price

is

similar to

that of their chemical cousins. Despite the cute raisin singers

who used to

appear on television, raisins are a highly pesticide-

saturated food, and consumers

would be better

off finding

organic varieties.

Spinach (fresh /frozen,

boiled), Popeye's

had 279 pesticide and greenhouse-linked

meal of strength

industrial pollutant

residues in thirty-six samples representing

some

thirty-three

different pesticide formulations, their metabolites, or industrial

chemicals.

chlorpyrifos,

Most

DCPA,

dieldrin, endosulfan,

fi*equently detected residues included

DDE

tachlor, lindane, nonachlor,

of slightly

would

less

(in all thirty-six samples),

and toxaphene. Eating an average

than two ounces of spinach a day over a lifetime

many as

result in a risk of as

twenty-eight excess cancers

in a million persons, according to

simply

is

DDT,

and permethrin. Also found were hep-

my

earlier

work. That

too high. If you're going to eat spinach, take Popeye's

advice and have yours canned.

Strawberries (raw).

I

love strawberries, but I won't eat chem-

grown ones anymore. Strawberries had 237 pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing some forty different

ically

pesticide formulations, their metabolites, or industrial green-

house pollutants. Most frequently detected pesticides, in

at least

one-fourth of the samples, included captan, carbaryl, dicofol, endosulfan, iprodione, malathion, styrene, and vinclozoHn. Less

frequently detected but disturbingly present pesticides and

petrochemicals included

BHC, DDE,

diazinon, dicofol, diel-

drin, folpet, parathion-methyl, toluene, toxaphene, xylene, malathion,

and toxaphene.

and

methamidophos, methoxychlor, parathion,

The

captan and carbaryl residues are especially

troubUng because of their neurotoxic and teratogenic properties.^ ^Teratogens are chemicals that cause birth defects. ical

birth defects or apparent defects such as

They may

be subtle neurolog-

deformed limbs.

67

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Taste treats children love should not pose the threat of

cancer or neurotoxicity. In 2005

when

farm workers and researching Safe Trip

I

Teresa

DeAnda

was reaching out to

to

of Earlimart, California,

some missing

children were in school,

Eden,

who

I

spoke with

me

told

that

digits or other limbs,

due to their parents' exposure to captan. Strawberries from

Canada and Mexico

are equally pesticide saturated, frequently

showing residues of captan. The only

buy organic

realistic solution is to

Too many pesticides and fungicides chemically grown samples to make them even

strawberries.

are found in

closely approximate a safe food

—and

to think

what they're

doing to the children of Earlimart and other American towns is

sickening.

Summer

squash

(fresh /frozen,

boiled).

The

pesticide

summer squash are dangerous to your health. I highly recommend organic squash. In the T)tal Diet Study, summer

residues in

squash had 185 pesticide residues representing twenty-six pesticide formulations, their metabolites, or industrial chemicals.

most frequendy detected

pesticides

were dieldrin

(in

The

twenty-

eight of thirty-six samples), endosulfan (thirty-one), heptachlor,

and pentachloroaniline. Less frequently detected residues included benzene, chlordane,

DCPA, DDE, DDT,

endrin,

methamidophos, octachlor, parathion, quintozene, and toxahene. Eating an average of slighdy less than two ounces of

summer squash a day over a lifetime would result in a risk of as many as eighty-nine excess cancers in a milHon persons. I have had organic squashes lab tested Hmits, and the organically

at

extremely minute detection

grown produce has been completely

free of detectable residues.

Tomatoes

(red, raw).

Tomatoes are quite

toes in the Total Diet Study had

214

saturated.

Toma-

industrial pollutant

pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing thirty industrial

68

pollutants

and

some

and pesticide formulations or

David Steinman

metabolites. Chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, methamidophos, and

permethrin were found in

at least

one-fourth of the samples.

Less frequently detected were acephate, dicloran, dicofol, ethyl benzene, styrene, toluene, and xylene.

On

the other

hand, vine-ripened organic tomatoes quiet the pesticide concern,

and they are

a taste treat.

Shopping Tips

Buy locally grown produce whenever

possible.

farmers' market and go there regularly. find a wide variety of organically

your supermarket you can buy in season.

Although

this

pesticide contamination,

locally

produce it is

You will more than Hkely

grown fruits and vegetables. At grown produce by buying

will

have varying degrees of

more Hkely to have

and we need the nutrients in

nutritional value,

fight off the ravaging effects of pollution

Another reason reduce fuel

more

costs.

costly

for

Find the nearest

retained

fi-esh

its fall

produce to

and toxic chemicals.

buying locally grown produce

is

to

Transportation costs not only translate into

produce but also are alleged to contribute to

global warming.

Out-of-season produce

Imported produce have lost

much

is

of

often its

likely to

is

more

pesticide saturated,

nutrient value.

season brussels sprouts and cabbages ally

good sources of vitamin

have been imported.

One

and

it

may

study of out-of-

—both of which are usu-

C— found

absolutely

no vitamin

C. Mishandling of produce during long trips from foreign nations or from the farm fields to the market can also result in loss

of the B-vitamin complex and other vitamins.

Out-of-season produce

is

likely to

have been imported

from Mexico, where many dangerous chemicals that are not used in the United States are routinely used. Roughly 40 to 60 percent of the fresh produce sold in the United States in

winter

is

imported,

much

of it from south of the border.

69

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

When you want to

eat out-of-season produce, frozen fruits

and vegetables are preferable to imported. Frozen produce

is

more likely to retain its nutrient contents. To make sure your body gets all the pollution-fighting nutrients it needs, when you buy frozen frriits or vegetables shake the boxes and make sure you hear them loosely clatter. If they've been thawed and refrozen, they will stick in a clump and will be silent when you shake the box. Frozen produce should never be thawed and

then refrozen. High freezer temperatures also result in

And

nutrient loss.

means we're not getting the

that

nutrients

we need to survive and flourish in a toxic world. Canned fruits and vegetables tend to have low pesticide levels but may have slightly elevated lead concentrations as a result of their containers.

Consider these higher lead

levels

when choosing between fresh or canned fruits and vegetables. The lead concentration of fresh produce may be one-thirtieth of that in the canned product. The nutrition benefits of canned

and vegetables, however, are nearly equal to

fruits

those of fresh produce, except for ously, eating

canned

not hurt, and

fruits

many

some vitamin

and vegetables once in

fruits

while will

if

you

eat a great

many

and vegetables when organically grown fresh

produce and frozen produce are lessly

a

Obvi-

people do. Take comfort; you have

reduced your pesticide exposure. But

canned

loss.

available,

you may be need-

adding to your lead exposure.

In addition, cans with plastic linings leach the endocrinedisrupting, feminizing, estrogenic chemical bisphenol-A. Scientists discovered the estrogenic effects

they found that

human

of this chemical

breast cancer cell lines

when

would propa-

some test tubes even without the addition of a stimulating known estrogen. Many breast cancers are said to be estrogen positive, which means they respond to estrogen gate themselves in

by reproducing. This 70

is

not good. But in the case of the

David Steinman

nonstimulated breast cancer

cell lines that

reproduced anyway,

the reason was that minute amounts of bisphenol-A were

leaching from the polycarbonate into the cultures. Scientists

have since discovered that the plastic Hnings used in canned foods also leach this feminizing chemical. (Some plastic sealants

used in dentistry and methacrylates used in cosmetics also do.)

Be wary of precut

and vegetables. Oxidation

fresh frnits

occurs after cutting and will result in significant loss of nutrients, including the

B

Buy your watermelons optimum nutrient content.

vitamins and vitamin C.

whole, in other words,

if you

value

Once vitamin C-rich foods are cut or sUced, they undergo oxidation,

which destroys

not to cut or sHce

significant

amounts of vitamin C. So

try

you

eat

and vegetables

fruits

until just before

them. If you must slice them ahead of time, squeeze a juice will

on the cut or

sliced surfaces; the acidity

reduce oxidation and prevent vitamin

tion in mind, add

litde

lemon

of the lemon juice

C loss. With antioxida-

lemon wedges or tomatoes

to sHced zucchini

and other summer squashes to preserve vitamins. Add lemon juice dressing to

Look, at least, it

and even

homemade coleslaw to prevent vitamin C loss.

buy precut watermelon and

I is

eat loads of

better than not eating any at

if it is

precut,

it is still

cious and hydrates and does so

all,

great and

and

it

good and

many good

it

because,

tastes

good,

tastes deli-

things.

Waxing

Wax is

applied to

and enhance

many

color. If

fruits

and vegetables to preserve them

you were covered with carnauba wax,

you might look pretty well preserved,

met some people who

I

think I've

are.

Consumers should be aware are coated with a layer of fringicides

too. In fact,

that

wax or

many fresh produce items which may contain

shellac,

and pesticides, including suspected carcinogens and

neurotoxins.

71

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Federal law requires supermarkets to disclose the presence

of wax on fresh produce at the point of sale. But last

the

Most supermarkets

time you saw a notice to that effect?

are in violation of federal law in failing to

when was

customers which

tell

produce items are waxed.

Among the •

Benomyl is

is

known

fungicides used with waxes:

believed to be a possible

and

to increase skull

human

carcinogen and

central nervous system

anomalies in the offspring of rats. •

Dicloran has not been sufficiently tested for carcino-

and mutagenic

genicity, birth defects, •

Imazalil has not been sufficiently tested for carcinogenicity, birth defects,

•

and mutagenic

effects.

Ortho-phenylphenol has been shown to suppress the

immune •

effects.

system.

Sodium ortho-phenyl phenate has been International

human

Agency

for Research

classified

on Cancer

by the

as a possible

carcinogen and has been demonstrated to produce

urinary bladder cancer in rats and liver cancer in mice.

Unfortunately, you cannot always

produce items have been waxed.

waxed food

game

to be labeled

unnecessary.

The

tell just

The

by looking which

federal law that requires

was intended to make

this

guessing

law does not require disclosure of the

fungicides and pesticides in the waxes, but

if

consumers were

aware that certain produce items were coated with wax, they

would

also be alerted to the likely presence of chemicals such

as fungicides.

Waxes cannot be removed with

just water.

You

will

need

a

mild detergent. Special nontoxic produce washes have been

developed that remove most of the waxes and even nonsystemic pesticides.

72

These products

are often sold near the produce

David Steinman

section in supermarkets.

Removing waxes

is

worthwhile

because they so frequently are laced with carcinogens and neurotoxins.

By

the way, the criminal penalty for not complying with

this labeling law can be

up

to a year in prison and/or

up

to a

thousand-dollar fine. Tell the produce manager at your market

know which fruits and vegetables have been waxed. Let your grocers know that they are breaking the law that

you want

to

by not labeling waxed produce. You can report Sonia

I.

violators to:

Delgado

Assistant to the Director

Division of Regulatory Guidance

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Department of Health and

Human

Services

Food and Drug Administration

C

200

Street

SW

Washington, D.C. 20204

Send

a

copy of your

letter to the president

of your super-

market company.

These

fruits are likely to

be waxed:

Lemons

Passion fruit

Avocados

Limes

Peaches

Cantaloupes

Melons

Pineapples

Grapefruits

Oranges

Apples

These vegetables are

likely to

be waxed:

Cucumbers

Pumpkins

Eggplants

Rutabagas

Parsnips

Squashes

Peppers

Sweet potatoes

73

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

wax is not applied, ftingicides are. The little white paper pads on the bottom of citrus boxes often have Often, even

if

been impregnated with

the California citrus crop

appHed

cides are

One

fumigated after the harvest! Pesti-

is

and limes to prevent green and blue mold

postharvest pesticide, benomyl,

cinogen, and another, depress the

immune

control beetles,

which may be

nuts and dried prunes,

an animal caris

known

to

system; sodium ortho-phenylphenol

is

fruits,

fruits

is

and nuts are ftimigated to

moths, and worms. Methyl bromide,

flies,

a carcinogen

the protective ozone,

is

ortho-phenylphenol,

probably a carcinogen. Dried

raisins,

than 90 percent of

to oranges, tangerines, mandarins, tangelos,

grapeftnits, lemons,

decay.

More

pesticides.

and

thought to be destructive to

is

applied to almost

all

chemically grown

including walnuts, almonds, chestnuts,

figs, dates,

and

apricots. It should have

been

banned years ago but keeps getting loopholed. More good

rea-

sons to buy organic! Radiation

Some

wild European

result of the

mushrooms have

1986 Chernobyl nuclear site:

nobyl, Switzerland

affected

still

is

cancer a direct result.

The

up

disaster.

According to

"Twenty years

Swiss online information

rates of radioactivity, with

excess radiation as a

to

after

a

Cher-

by higher than normal

two hundred deaths from

southern canton of Ticino

still

bears the brunt of the worst accident in nuclear history, the

High radioactivity wild mushrooms and meat." You

Federal Health Office said on Tuesday.

was

still

being registered in

should be especially careful of boletes and chanterelles.

They

will

remain hot for years from absorbing radioactive

cesium 137, which the

present in decaying leaves, and which

mushrooms cannot

nant and nursing

74

is

distinguish

women

from potassium. Preg-

especially should

avoid these

David Steinman

mushrooms. These mushrooms

are usually found in

gourmet

food sections.

Apple centrate.

low

juice

is

often

made from imported

apple juice con-

These concentrates may well be contaminated with of radiation from the Chernobyl accident. Using

levels

FDA radiation labo-

sophisticated sampling techniques at the

ratory in Winchester, Massachusetts, scientists have identified isotopes of cesium 137 in imported apple juice concentrate

and have confirmed that they stem from the accident.

About one-third of the apple

juice concentrate

Hungary, West Germany, and Yugoslavia that

tria,

being sold here and used in American products

Much apple juice

sold in the United States

is

is

from Aus-

is

presently

radioactive.

made with Euro-

pean concentrate. Austrian apples are the most radioactive, but the

FDA has

not prevented any Austrian apple juice concen-

trate

from entering the United

total

cesium

levels

is

10,000 picocuries per

have come to nearly half

New

States.

The

liter

action level for

(pCi/L). Detected

that.

research into the health effects of radiation has

how little scientists actually know about responses. Most experts say there is no threshold revealed

low-level

of safety

for radiation and that even a single exposure can initiate or

promote cancer. Others believe repeated exposures are required to initiate or promote cancer and other diseases.

technology

is

beginning to shed Hght on

New

this issue. Scientists

studying radiation effects are beginning to see chromosomal aberrations at doses five to ten times lower than before.

Unfortunately, Chernobyl's legacy of radiation will persist for

many years, thanks Some consumers in

to the extended half-life of cesium 137.

Finland, Hungary, Romania, Poland, and

Switzerland are getting regularly dosed. It is

not wise for anybody to regularly drink apple juice

laced with

up

to 4,600

pCi/L of radiation when the solution

to

75

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

the problem

grown U.S.

near: drink apple juice

is

made from

organically

apples.

Cooking Tips

To

peel or not to peel?

The

peels of frnits and vegetables are

sometimes waxed, and often have high

But the peel fiber. I

of pesticides.

often a good source of essential nutrients and

is

avoid this problem by buying organic and eating the

skin. If you

that

levels

must

eat chemically

you wash green

grown produce,

light foods

for yellow light foods, I

I

recommend

thoroughly and eat the

recommend

skin;

you peel them

that

if

possible.

Remove and

discard the outer leaves of leafy vegetables

such as lettuce; they have higher pesticide residues than the inner leaves. Also, the leaves at the top of

such as celery, actually act cide residues.

like a

By removing

some

vegetables,

sponge and soak up the

pesti-

the leaves, you will lower your

exposure.

Use minimal amounts of water when Vitamin

boiling vegetables.

C and other nutrients dissolve in the water. Better yet,

steam vegetables in

a stainless-steel steamer.

One-third of the

potassium in carrots will be lost during boiling, but virtually

none

will

the water

be lost in steaming. If you boil vegetables,

come

to a rolling boil, then put in vegetables.

Leaving vegetables in the water higher nutrient

One key or boiling

is

for

first let

as

it

comes

to a boil results in

loss.

maximum

to use as

little

nutrient retention

when steaming

water as possible and to cook in as

short a time as possible. If you

own

a

microwave and wonder whether to use

it

for

cooking vegetables, you should know that microwave cooking results in excellent nutrient retention. Researchers report

microwaving can

76

result in 100 percent retention of a food's

David Steinman

C

vitamin

content and 70 percent of

B

its

vitamins. Flavor

and color also tend to be well preserved with microwave cooking.

Leafy vegetables

like

spinach or cabbage tend to lose the

most nutrients when cooked. Short cooking times are preferred.

Cook

them up

vegetables whole to preserve nutrients and cut

after cooking.

Safe Shopping

List: Vegetables

For your convenience into Hsts

showing how

I've

and

Fruits

summarized

safe or

all

this

information

dangerous different foods

are.

You can have these copied and take them shopping with you until you remember which foods are safe.

Some

foods appear in these hsts that

I

have not discussed in

room

the preceding pages simply because there isn't

book I

to spell out

what chemicals are

in

all

in this

foods.

have Hsted the foods in order of the number of residues

found in the Total Diet Study, starting with the this is

safest. (Again,

because foods with the fewest total number of residues

usually have the lowest average concentrations and are your safest choices in the supermarket.)

yellow

light,

and red

Within each green

light section, I also

light,

sometimes hst foods

without giving an exact number of residues. These foods have

been analyzed

in

ways that

tell

me how

safe they are,

were not covered by the Total Diet Study, so exact

number of residues

I

but they

don't have an

to report.

77

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

FRUITS Number of Residues

Green Light Fruit cocktail (canned in heavy syrup)

55

Grapefruit (raw)

53

Watermelon

33

(raw)

OTHER GREEN LIGHT FRUITS Bitter

melon

Limes

Coconut

Papayas

Dates

Passion fruit

Figs

Pineapples

Guavas

Plantains

Lemons

Tangerines

Number of Residues

Yellow Light Applesauce

97

Bananas

71

Cantaloupe

131

Oranges

116

Prunes

126

OTHER YELLOW LIGHT FRUITS Feiojas

Honeydew

Blackberries

Kiwi

Blueberries

Kumquats

Casaba

Nectarines

Cranberries

Persimmons

Crenshaw melons

Pomegranates

Currants

78

fruit

David Steinman

Number

Red Light

of Residues

Apples

342

Apricots

157

Cherries (sweet, raw)

215

Grapes

172

Peaches

266

Pears

176

Plums

171

Raisins (dried)

200

VEGETABLES Number

Green Light Asparagus

of Residues

22

Black-eyed peas (cowpeas)

18

Cabbage

28

Cauliflower (fresh/frozen, boiled)

12

Corn (canned)

Corn

1

(cream-style, canned)

Com (fresh/frozen, Eggplant

boiled)

(fresh, boiled)

Green peas

(fresh/frozen, boiled).

14 3

36 22

Lima beans (mature)

19

Mixed vegetables

65

Okra

(frozen, boiled)

(fresh/frozen, boiled)

Onions Peaches (canned in light/medium syrup) Pears (canned in light/medium syrup)

Peas (mature, dry, boiled) Pinto beans

Radishes

29 2

42 6 15 1

32

79

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Red beans

7 18'

Sauerkraut (canned)

Snap green beans Sweet potatoes

(fresh,

34 baked)

50

OTHER GREEN LIGHT VEGETABLES Alfalfa sprouts

Kidney beans

Adzuki beans

Leeks

Bamboo

shoots (canned)

Lentils

Bean sprouts

Mushrooms

Beets (fresh)

Navy beans

Brussels sprouts

Radicchio

Cassava

Rapini

Chives

Red chard

Cilantro

Rhubarb

Daikon

Shallots

Fava beans

Snow

Fennel root

Watercress

Garlic

Yams

(fresh)

peas

Jicama

Yellow Light Avocados

67

Beets (fresh/frozen, boiled)

56

Broccoli (fresh/frozen, boiled)

91

Brussels sprouts

Carrots (fresh, boiled)

127 63

Coleslaw (with dressing, homemade)

121

Green beans

153

(fresh/frozen, boiled)

Iceberg lettuce (raw)

80

Number of Residues

132

Lima beans (immature)

87

Potatoes (scalloped)

81

David Steinman

93

Potatoes (white, boiled without skin)

101

Radishes (raw)

Spinach (canned)

35

Tomato

sauce (plain, bottled)

80

Tomato

(stewed, canned)

49 83

Turnips (fresh/frozen, boiled)

Winter squash

(fresh/frozen, baked,

mashed)

118

OTHER YELLOW LIGHT VEGETABLES Artichokes

Okra

Bok choy

Parsley

Cherry tomatoes

Parsnips

Chili peppers

Poblano peppers

Choysum

Pumpkin

DandeHon greens

Puslane

Dill

Radishes

Eggplant

Red peppers

Endive

Rutabagas

Escarole

Serrano chilies

Green peppers

Soybeans

Jalapeno peppers

String beans

Kale

Swiss chard

Kohlrabi

Tomatillos

Mung beans

Turnip greens

Mustard greens

Turnips

Number

Red Light

of Residues

Celery

240

Collard green (fresh/frozen, boiled)

260

Cucumbers

189

(raw)

Green peppers (raw)

256

81

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Potatoes (white, baked with skin)

205

Summer

185

squash (fresh/frozen, boiled)

Tomatoes

(red,

214

raw)

NUTS AND SEEDS Number

Green Light Pecans

of Residues 14

OTHER GREEN LIGHT NUTS AND SEEDS Almonds

Sesame seeds

Chinese pine nuts

Sunflower seeds

Flax

Walnuts

Hazelnuts

Water chestnuts

Pistachios

Watermelon seeds

Pumpkin

seeds

Number of Residues

Yellow Light Lychee nuts Radish seed

Number of Residues

Red Light Nuts (mixed, no peanuts, dry roasted)

246

Peanuts (dry roasted)

282

JUICES Green Light Lemonade Pineapple (canned)

82

Number of Residues 10

6

David Steinman

OTHER GREEN LIGHT JUICES Apricot nectar

Lime

Carrot

Mixed vegetable

Cranberry

Prune

Number of Residues

Yellow Light Apple (bottled)

71

Grape

49

(bottled)

Grapefruit

42

Tomato

35

Orange

77

OTHER YELLOW LIGHT JUICES Boysenberry

JAMS, JELLIES,

AND SPREADS

Yellow Light Blackberry spread

Strawberry jam

Raspberry spread

Boysenberry spread

MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCE ITEMS Green Light Aloe vera

Langon

Arrowroot

Lotus root

Burdock root

Pai

Cactus

Rombuton

Cardoni

Seaweed seasoning

Cole

Shredded bamboo

Durian

Taro

kon

83

FOUR Grains

Grains are extremely important diet. I

want you

to learn to love

in the low-toxin, high-energy

whole

grains.

Together with

fruits

and vegetables, grains should form the mainstay of your

diet.

Remember

the two-thirds rule:

plant foods, including

make up two-thirds of your

grains, should

Plant foods,

diet.

especially grains, will play a very important role as

your body of a learn

as often as

ice

lifetime's

what grains can do

accumulation of toxic chemicals. As you for

your body, you

you once wanted

Or maybe

not.

will

want

to eat

them

to eat pesticide-laced food such as

cream, milk shakes, french

pizza.

you cleanse

fries,

Or maybe

hot dogs, hamburgers, and

sometimes.

Or maybe

not

at

all.

Who knows if you will break this rule a thousand times. You can always start the

game

over.

The good news is that even chemically grown grains have among the lowest levels of pesticides and industrial chemicals. The bad news is that they cause a lot of farm worker cancers. Overall you can feel relatively safe with grains,

if

you do not

think about anybody else.

And we great.

all

need to eat

grains.

They

are essential for feeling

They're an important source of vitamins and trace minerals.

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

and the

fiber in

whole grains can

weight

aid in

Many

loss.

people should give up counting calories and instead just replace

meat and dairy foods with whole

vegetables. Animal

the calories per

fats

grains, fruits,

and

contain nine calories per gram, twice

gram of high-fiber

foods.

You

get

more

clout

per calorie with plant foods such as whole grains. That's because whole grains provide dietary satiety: they

help you feel

full

with fewer calories.

A breakfast of fiber-rich

oat bran or another whole grain cereal with skim milk or soy milk, fresh fruit, and lent fuel source of

whole grain

complex carbohydrates to keep you going

strong until lunch as well as meal.

Whole

aroni, raisins,

fabulous complete-protein

a

grain pasta; whole wheat tortillas, bagels, mac-

and muffins;

and

toast will provide an excel-

dates;

oatmeal with organic peanuts,

rice;

whole wheat graham crackers; amaranth

cookies; and puffed corn, wheat, and millet

all

make

tasty,

relatively low-calorie dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner,

and

snacks.

Eating grains

is

good

grains,

you maximize our

Lappe

tells

much more

for the planet, too. planet's resources.

When

you

eat

As Frances Moore

us in Diet for a Small Planet, grain crops are used efficiently

when

they're fed to livestock. If

they're fed to people than

all

when

the grain and soybeans fed to

U.S. livestock were used to feed humans instead, they could feed at least 1.3 billion citizens of the planet

—

far, far

more

than could be fed by the livestock raised with that grain.

Whole trol their

grains are also wonderful for people

blood sugar.

Whole

who must con-

grain, high-fiber

complex

car-

bohydrate foods such as grains, vegetables, and pasta smooth out blood sugar fluctuations. "If

I

were to give

my

mother

a

white [enriched flour] bagel in the morning, her blood sugar

would be about 385 miUigrams per decihter by noontime," says nutrition expert Elaine

86

Grossman, of Nutrition Network

David Steinman

in

Los Angeles. "However,

give her a

if I

whole grain or

pumpernickel bagel in the morning, her blood sugar be about 185 milligrams per deciliter ence

is

at

noontime.

will

The

only

differ-

simply that the body had to work to separate the sugar

molecules from the stabilizing

fiber,

and that slow process

blood sugar, feeling

longer, and obtaining the

fall

most nutrients from your food. This wheat pasta and whole grain brown

who

patients with diabetes

their blood sugar level

the key to

is

also applies to

rice.

In

fact, all

eat white rice find that

it

up over 450 milligrams per

whole of

my

jumps

deciliter

while brown rice keeps their blood sugar at a nice, even pace.

For those of us who have problems with glycemia, or just too

whole grains

The most

many

sugar, such as

hypo-

sugar highs and lows, the use of

will help to solve this

problem."

important benefits of grains from our point of

view are their extraordinary cancer-preventing and detoxifying

A

qualities.

grain-rich diet

is

your surest way of minimizing

the effects of toxins in your food and water.

way of undoing

And

it's

your best

the toxic exposures of a lifetime.

Toxic chemicals will penetrate the body despite the strictest

low-toxin

diet. It is

what happens

to these toxic chemicals

once they get into the body that counts, and that

whole grains are so valuable.

whole

All plant foods,

is

where

and especially

grains, contain fiber, nature's miracle pollution fighter.

Yes, the

same

fiber that helps us

combat cholesterol

is

valuable

your body, the

fiber in

in neutralizing the effects of toxic chemicals.

Once

toxic invaders have entered

whole grains can prevent them from

infiltrating very far.

They

can actually route toxic molecules from the body before they

can pass through the thin, porous wall of the gastrointestinal tract.

They accomplish

this

by absorbing toxic chemicals.

reason fiber seems to attract are

many

composed of carbon, and on

a

toxic chemicals

chemical

is

One

that both

level, like attracts

87

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

like.

After absorbing and binding them, fiber transports these

villains fi-om

your body before they can leave

a trace behind.

Fiber protects us against damage fi*om industrial pollutants

and pesticides by helping to break the circular route of the entero-hepatic pathway. In this particular bodily pathway,

many

toxic chemicals pass

from the

bloodstream and move on to the stances

called

detoxify

many

bile

salts.

liver

which produces sub-

liver,

Unfortunately, the liver cannot

of these complex chemically engineered toxic

chemicals, and so these toxic

The

digestive tract into the

compounds go

then sends these bile salts

into the bile

salts.

—now contaminated with

impurities such as carcinogens and neurotoxins, which

cannot detoxify secretes

—on

to the

them back into remain for

a

The

gallbladder

the digestive tract, where the bile salts

who

can be ehminated. In people bile salts

bladder.

gall

it

eat a low-fiber diet, these

very long time in the colon, where they

have a great chance to pass through the gastrointestinal walPs thin

membrane, become reabsorbed by the body, and reenter

Thus

the bloodstream.

these contaminated substances can

cause carcinogenic and mutagenic

and other nearby organs. longer these bile

time there

is

trointestinal

salts

harm

The key

to cells in the colon

concept here

remain in the digestive

is

tract,

that the

the

more

for carcinogenic impurities to permeate the gas-

membrane and

And

pass into the bloodstream.

once these noxious substances pass into the bloodstream, they are circulated throughout the cellular

body and can cause widespread

damage.

Many pesticides are engineered to be

fat soluble

or they are

dissolved in inert ingredients or mixed with detergents that are fat soluble, so that

they will permeate the tough exoskeletons

of insects; this allows them to

slip

through your body's

membranes, which are made up of basic lipids.

88

Once

cell

fatty materials called

the pesticide has penetrated a

cell,

its

toxic

David Steinman

may

chemicals

the cell

kill

outcome, for then the

—which would be

the preferable

—

legacy would be at an end

cell's

or,

harm the cell by causing a genetic mutation. This could create a damaged and potentially can-

worse, the chemical could

cerous

cell that

But when

would be vulnerable

fiber

is

present in large amounts in the colon,

and traps carbon-based toxic compounds

attracts

activated granular carbon water

filter.

bile salts that contain carcinogenic

can be

to further toxic exposure.

moved out of

the

body

just like

With adequate

fiber,

quickly, because fiber, unlike It is

pre-

makes pesticide-contaminated

such as hamburger and salami so dangerous.

body absorbs

an

and mutagenic impurities

animal foods, passes very quickly through the body. cisely their lack of fiber that

flesh foods

it

The

toxic chemicals in animal foods very efficiently,

because those poisons are bound up not in fiber but in

lipids,

much more membrane. And

easily

which take longer

to

excrete and are

absorbed through the gastrointestinal shall see

when we

discuss

meat and

we may

as

poultry, saturated fats

in themselves potentiate the effects of toxic chemicals. If you

know ahead

of time that you are going to eat a meal

—dairy products, meat, or which have absolutely no —you should eat fresh highthat

is

rich in animal foods

poultry,

fiber

fiber

meal.

produce and grains

Make

it

a

all

day and during the animal-food

point to eat whole grain bread and a salad of

fresh vegetables or fruits every day.

These high-fiber foods

will

help your body transport and eliminate potent carcinogens that find their

Many

way

into your diet.

studies have

our cancer

risk.

shown

Wheat bran,

that eating grains helps reduce

for example, appears consistently

to reduce the frequency of colon

decade, a

number of other

which laboratory

rats

tumors in animals. In the past

studies have

were fed

been conducted

fiber-rich diets

exposed to certain known colonic carcinogens.

and were

When

in

also

wheat

89

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

bran was used as a source of dietary

was seen

Wheat

in the majority of rats.

nitely beheve,

protective effect

fiber, a

bran, scientists defi-

protective. Studies of corn bran, rice bran, oat

is

bran, pectin, and guar have

shown

may have

that these also

a

protective effect.

Several epidemiologic studies

show

that

whole grains are

important in our fight against disease. Comparison of rural

and urban Finns shows that the intake of calories and

more

similar in both groups, but the rural Finns eat

fat is

fiber.

Not

surprisingly, rural Finns have lower rates of colon cancer. In

Denmark,

consumption from 1927

a decrease in dietary fiber

to 1977 has

been closely correlated with

a rise in prevalence of

colon cancer. In seven other countries, changes in flourmilling practices during

sumption of

total

World War

fiber,

II led to

increased con-

which correlated with

a

reduced

mortality from colon cancer in those countries fifteen years later.

All grains contain different kinds of fiber,

ferent kinds of fiber help your

body

and these

in different

dif-

ways to fight

toxic chemicals. Since grains differ in their ability to adsorb

and expel carcinogens fi-om your digestive tasty choice

is

the smart,

tract,

and

to enjoy a wide variety of cereals

grains,

including recently rediscovered exotics such as amaranth and

quinoa from Central and South America, and North American crops such as barley, buckwheat, millet, and rye. Eat them

and help reduce the pollution

Remember

that

it's

level in

known

as the

your body.

whole grains that you want to

grains are processed in such a

portion,

way

endosperm,

is

all

eat.

Many

that only the innermost

used. This

is

how

white

bread and most pastas and other white-flour products are

made. This part of the grain has nutrients. That's

they're

90

why

the labels

made with enriched

little

fiber

and

virtually

no

on these products always say

flour

—

federal regulations require

David Steevtman

the manufacturers to add nutrients to give the flour nutritional value.

products have

Whole

Even with

nutrients added, however, these

little fiber.

grain foods contain the

rounds the endosperm,

endosperm and

germ and

outer layers, called the

the fibrous portion.

is

It is

The germ

is

the

high in protein,

such as the B-vitamin complex, and

nutrients

micronutrients,

two

also the

the bran. Bran, which sur-

outer nutrient-dense cover of the kernel. essential

some

including chromium,

copper,

magnesium,

manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, selenium, and

zinc.

The

bran and germ are

So

if

you've been eating white bread and enriched-flour pasta

all

your

life,

out of refined, enriched grains.

sifted

you should make the switch now

breads and pastas.

It

to

whole grain

doesn't have to be just whole wheat,

Many people cannot tolerate wheat. If you're among those who cannot, choose from many other whole grains. The either.

point all

to eat a variety of deHcious

is

whole

grains.

You can

eat

the white bread, enriched-flour pasta, and processed rice in

the world, but cussing.

The rice,

And

you won't get any of the

believe me,

been

dis-

you need them!

bran and the germ are also removed from white

and with them go the protein,

iron, vitamin E,

which

benefits I've

fiber,

calcium, phosphorus,

and B vitamins. What's worse, converted

lacks the bran

preservatives such as

rice,

and germ, often has behavior-altering

BHT

(a

chemical that has been shown

conclusively to alter the behavior of experimental animals and

has been associated with similar changes in children and

Seasoned

adults).

rices

may have

additional

additives,

including irradiated herbs and spices. Fortunately, most progressive supermarkets

brown

rice.

Brown

and organic and natural food stores

rice

and

all

the

many

varieties of

sell

whole

grains are easy to find in the bulk bin of any health food

market.

91

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

So reduce your exposure to chemical carcinogens, and your love

with grains flourish

affair

all

let

day every day. Instead

of sneaking into the kitchen late at night to eat ice cream, take

out the whole grain graham crackers. By choosing low-calorie

whole grain graham crackers over

ice

cream, you can cut your

exposure to industrial chemicals and pesticides by as

—not to mention the

60 percent I

know you

cream into

ice

But

try

body.

a desire for

It will tell

after a

you

graham crackers

night. Listen the following

you

all

midnight snack.

you need

to

as

will save!

are thinking that transforming

some

it

calories

much

your craving for

is

quite a switch.

morning

know about

to your

feeling

good

On another night air-pop some organic

popcorn (but leave off salt and

butter). That's

another midnight

snack that will be kind and gentle with your body! Popcorn

is

a

great whole grain food, high in nutrients and virtually fat free.

This

I

promise:

make

the switch to whole grains and other

plant foods for snacking, and feels great

you

will

soon find your body

and very pure.

Breads, cereals, crackers, muffins, and mixes organically

grown

grains should

become new

made with

treats in

your

low-toxin, high-energy diet. Puffed corn, puffed millet, rice cakes,

and buckwheat cakes provide excellent low-calorie

snacks.

Arrowhead Mills apple

spice muffin

mix

is

simply deli-

cious. Nature's

Path makes

a

superb organic raisin bran cereal.

Amy's Kitchen

offers frozen

macaroni and soy cheese dinners

made

fi*om virtually

all

organic ingredients.

supermarkets and virtually stores carry organic

all

whole grain

often in special sections.

The

Many

major

health food and natural food pastas, cookies,

and crackers,

Personal Action Guide at the

end of this book has information on ordering breads and other organic grain foods by mail. I

encourage you to seek out organic grains and organic grain

products.

92

Good

as grains are for you, there

have been

many

David Steinman

disturbing findings about chemically

grown

grains.

They have

been found to contain very dangerous residues of cancercausing chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride, ethylene

dibromide, and methyl bromide.

Compared with many other

foods, grains are relatively safe, but they're not perfectly safe.

Based on

my

analyses of

FDA

Total Diet Study results,

all

chemically grown grains had some pesticide traces. In the 1980s as piled grain

is

70 percent of the nation's stock-

as

was found to contain traces of ethylene dibromide

(EDB). Now,

EDB

much

if

you knew what an all-around nasty chemical

you would be plenty concerned. This chemical (now

banned) was used

sperm counts and

as a postharvest fumigant. It causes

low

suspected of causing cancer, birth defects,

is

and central nervous system disorders and has caused cancer and other diseases

in virtually every laboratory animal studied.

In the Los Angeles area a

man

stored

EDB

near his rabbit

hutch. His doe gave birth to three bunnies: one had three legs,

another had three ears, and the third had only one

ear.

Residues of this extremely toxic chemical saturated the American grain supply throughout the early 1980s until

were found

in grain products

achusetts, Florida,

its

on supermarket shelves

and elsewhere in the country.

residues in

Mass-

The EDB

contamination hit even the big cereal and bread companies.

One major producer in

its

of children's cereals found

sold to innocent famiUes. all

EDB

residues

products after they were put on supermarket shelves and

And

EDB

was detected

in virtually

bread sampled for use in school lunch programs.

There

is

a

moral to

this story to

which we should pay

careful attention. Savvy

consumers who bought organically

grown

from

grains were safe

EDB

throughout the heaviest

contamination period in the early 1980s. Organically grown grains are your best protection against exposure to chemicals in the grain supply.

No

doubt there

will

be future lapses in

93

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

government and

safety

industry's

grains. Organically

grown

tion, since absolutely

no

programs for chemical

grains provide

maximum

protec-

toxic chemicals are used in their

postharvest treatment.

The

chemical threat to the consumer

threat faced ticides,

by workers who are

is

smaller than the

directly exposed to toxic pes-

mean we should ignore the effects of By buying organic foods you can help of others. I say that if we have any sense of

but that does not

chemically grown foods. lessen the suffering

decency we cannot turn our back on the dangerous exposures faced by workers

who grow and

fumigate grains, especially

since the key to lessening the burden of our fellow Americans is

as simple as

being an informed shopper. Buy organic grains

and grain foods when you can. don't let that stop able.

If you can't find organic grains,

you from eating those

grains that are avail-

Grains are low in pesticide saturation relative to

foods, and

it is

vital that

you

eat a generous

all

other

amount of whole

grain daily to maintain the pollution-fighting, low-toxin, high-

energy

diet.

Grains Survival Guide

Some fruits and vegetables, such as apples, peaches, and summer squash, contained 185 or more pesticide residues. And peanuts had some 282 residues in thirty-six samples. As you will learn when we discuss flesh foods, a fast- food quarterpound hamburger has more than 280 residues, whereas the grain with the greatest pesticide saturation, wheat contained

fewer than 125 pesticide residues.

This

survival guide takes a close look at chemically

grown

grains and grain-based products available in any supermarket

anywhere in the United

FDA

States. It is

Total Diet Study and considers grains and grain-based

foods from throughout the nation.

94

based on results from the

The number

of residues

David Steinman

cited

is

the

number found in thirty-six samples of that food. will show you the least toxic of the chem-

This survival guide ical grains

so

you can

ticide saturation

tell

which foods have

relatively

high pes-

and which foods have the fewest residues. By

purchasing low-residue foods, you encourage farmers to plant crops that need fewer pesticide applications. That will help save our nation's land, the purity of our precious freshwater resources,

and

many

Unfortunately,

wildlife.

residues of diazinon and malathion, both of toxic to wildhfe

have

grains

which are highly

and responsible for decimation of our migra-

tory bird populations. Although

you would be better

off

buying organic grains and grain-based products, by buying low-pesticide chemically a cleaner

Use

grown

grains

still

cast a vote for

America.

this survival list

when shopping

in supermarkets that

When

only chemically grown food.

sell

you

you cannot

find

organic foods, green light grains and grain-based foods are the safest

and most healthful foods American chemical agriculture

has to offer. Yellow light grains are a

little less

safe

eaten fairly often. There are no red light grains. light grains

your

first

but can be

Make

green

choice for day-to-day eating. Supple-

ment moderately with yellow light foods. Do and let your body tell you the good news.

this consistently

Green Light Biscuit (from refrigerated dough, baked). biscuits? Fortunately, they are cuits

made with enriched

Who

doesn't love

not too badly contaminated. Bis-

flour

and found in the refrigerator

section of your supermarket had seventy-three pesticide and industrial chemical residues in thirty-six samples representing

ten different pesticide formulations.

most frequently was chlorpyrifos six

The

pesticide detected

(in thirty-three

of thirty-

samples) with malathion next (twenty-five of thirty-six).

95

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Pesticides or industrial chemicals detected less frequently

PCBs, and

1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, diazinon, methoxychlor, toluene. cides.

These

were

are heavy-duty industrial chemicals and pesti-

Your best choice

is

to use an organic biscuit mix,

can be found at health food markets.

grams of saturated

fat

and

One

which

biscuit contains 0.8

traces of cholesterol.

CoTn bread (hontemade),

I

love cornbread.

What

red-

blooded American doesn't? Southern-style corn bread was not so bad

when

it

came

to our chemical diets, but, again,

frequent industrial chemicals, along with pesticides.

I

found

The FDA

Total Diet Study found eighty-two pesticide residues in thirty-

samples representing sixteen different industrial chemical

six

and pesticide formulations.

The

pesticides detected

most

fre-

quentiy were chlorpyrifos and malathion. Pesticides detected less

frequently were

DDE, DDT,

with industrial chemicals

dieldrin,

and heptachlor

like 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1-

benzene, bromodichloromethane, PCBs,

trichloroethane,

toluene, and xylene.

One

slice

contains 0.2 grams of saturated

of southern-style corn bread

fat,

no

cholesterol.

But you want

to know something? It's the not saturated fat I am thinking about when I bite into homemade com bread anymore. Cornflakes. The great American cereal, cornflakes with

skim milk, even

if

from nonorganic crops, makes

a great

breakfast choice in this chemical age, and, finally, here's a

pretty darn safe product even

if it is

not certified organic.

Cornflakes had five pesticide and industrial chemical residues representing five formulations in thirty-six samples. Benzene,

methoxychlor, primiphos-methyl, tributyl phosphate (possibly

from packaging), and xylene were detected most frequendy.

Some

of these are heavy-duty chemicals

denied. But

—

that cannot be

compared with other more pesticide-saturated

foods such as beef, cheese, butter, and bacon, cornflakes stack

up 96

well.

A bowl

of cornflakes with low-fat or nonfat milk

is

a

David Steinman

whole

lot better

omelet with

than a sausage-and-eggs breakfast or

fried potatoes. Cornflakes,

and

toast,

can make a powerfully good low-toxin breakfast

and other grain foods such

or on the road. Hey, into a diner and

I

I

have something to eat

am on

Crisped rice cereaL

cheese

whole wheat

fruits

juices

a

with fresh low-residue as

at

home

now when

I pull

the road in Nonorganic-ville.

An American

cereals such as Rice Krispies are

crisped rice

favorite,

one of the

least

contaminated

of any grain products in the Total Diet Study. So enjoy! You

can find crisped rice cereals on any supermarket shelf from

San Diego, California, to

Woods

Hole, Massachusetts.

Crisped rice cereal had only eleven low-level pesticide and industrial chemical residues in thirty-six samples representing

three formulations.

The

and industrial chemicals

pesticides

detected were malathion, quinclorac, and toluene.

Weight

watchers should note that one cup of crisped rice cereal contains just traces of saturated fat

milk, and

you

skim milk choice eler's

is

when

still

and no cholesterol. Add skim

get great pesticide exposure reduction, since

virtually free

from

So

pesticides.

you're at the breakfast

nook

this is a

good

at a business trav-

motel and you're trying to eat with some semblance of

health

as

you brace yourself

that

for

coffee-frieled

sales

meeting.

Egg

noodles (boiled). Enriched tgg noodles

made with

enriched white flour had sixty-eight pesticide residues representing eight different pesticides: chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifosmethyl, diazinon, diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate, endosulfan,

malathion, toluene, and xylene.

One cup

of enriched noodles

contains 0.5 grams of saturated fat and 50 milligrams of cholesterol, as if that's

the

what you're really concerned about after hearing

news about chemical tgg noodles. Farina (wheat cereal, quick, one

Farina

is

a relatively safe

choice

to three

minutes, cooked).

when made from chemically 97

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

grown corn, and it's a great choice when made from organic com. That is because corn is well protected from residue contamination by

its

husk; the pesticides

most often biodegrade

before they reach the kernels, so they do not

show up

in

your

diet at high levels.

Farina had only sixteen residues of five pesticides or their

metabohtes.

Among

the most frequently appearing pesticides

and industrial chemical formulations: malathion, tributyl

EDB.

phosphate, diazinon, and

I

am

concerned about the

fre-

quent appearance of malathion, benzene, and polychlorinated biphenyls, as well as pirimiphos-methyl in grains. Buying

organic farina would help you be certain to avoid neurotoxic

chemicals altogether.

By

federal regulation, farina has

tains its fiber,

had

its

bran, which con-

removed. Be sure to purchase farina that

has the nutrient-dense

germ portion of

the grain kernel.

Unless the label specifically states that the germ

assume that

it

And

is

included,

has been removed.

Grits (regular, cooked). favorite.

still

Corn (hominy)

grits are a

southern

they also do well from the pesticide saturation

standpoint. In the

FDA Total Diet Study, eleven residues were

detected representing five pesticide and industrial chemical formulations. Malathion was detected most frequently and benzene, dicloran, pirimiphos-methyl, and

Oatmeal

(quick,

one

to

PCBs

less frequently.

three fninutes,

winter favorite had twenty-seven

pesticide

cooked).

This

and industrial

chemical residues in thirty-six samples representing ten formulations, metabolites, and industrial chemicals. Pesticides detected most frequendy were chlorpyrifos and malathion with 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

tris

(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, and

tris

(beta-chloroethyl) phosphate found "less" frequently.

The Quaker Oats Company, which

produces Quaker Oats

oatmeal, ought to produce organic oatmeal, which would

98

David Steinman

come

consumers without dangerous pesticides such

to

diazinon and malathion. But do not

you away from oatmeal.

picture keep

you can choose

cereals

let this

if

you want

It is

among

the best

to fashion a low-toxin diet

out of the mainstream chemically grown food supply.

pared with

many

as

gloomy

sHghtly

Com-

other breakfast choices, oatmeal with a

banana, whole grain toast, and pineapple juice will keep your toxic exposure relatively low.

Oat rings

(cereal).

These very popular breakfast

cereals,

which include Cheerios, are easy to find anywhere in the United

States, at markets, coffee shops, hotel restaurants,

workplace

Only forty-seven

cafeterias.

and pesticides were found in oat

rings.

and

industrial chemicals

Dicamba makes an

appearance in twemty-four of the thirty-six samples. Clopyralid

was in nine. Chlorpyrifos, malathion, and toluene

An ounce

appeared, too. tains 0.3

of unsweetened oat ring cereal con-

grams of saturated

fat

and no cholesterol. So

good all-around cereal that provides you with

it is

a

a relatively

nontoxic breakfast even in coffee shops and restaurants.

Pancakes (from mix). Pancakes are not bad, chemically speaking.

I

ate

some

where everybody

else

recently at a restaurant in Louisiana

was eating omelets and sausages. The

best breakfast food I could find

which have

far

sausages.

cut

diners

I

on the menu was the pancakes,

fewer pesticide residues than either omelets or

my

exposure to

who chowed on

at least one-fifth that

eggs, cheese,

of the

and sausages. (Of course,

who wouldn't love omelets and Louisiana pork link sausages?) The Total Diet Study found that pancakes made from commercial mix (enriched eighty-six

pesticide

flour, ^gg, milk,

residues in

and

thirty-six

oil)

contained

samples,

repre-

senting eleven different pesticide formulations. Pesticides

detected in numbers 33 and 34 of thirty-six samples included chlorpyrifos,

and malathion, respectively. Pesticides and 99

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

greenhouse-linked pollutants detected benzene, xylene.

DDE,

diazinon, methoxychlor,

One pancake

frequently were

less

PCBs, toluene, and

has 0.5 grams of saturated fat and 16

milligrams of cholesterol. Pasta,

Love

pasta.

gourmet chefs pitch

But watch out

at you.

can make any trip to the plate

loaded with pesticides. Prefer tomato-

a toxic strikeout. Butter is

based sauces. Spaghetti

They

for the butter sauces the

made with enriched

flour

and served

with tomato sauce has been carefully analyzed for toxic chemicals

and found to be

a fairly low-toxin food, with

in thirty-six samples. Spaghetti with

three residues.

The

about ten residues

meat sauce had only most frequently

pesticides detected

alone, without sauce, are malathion, diazinon,

Remember

to

buy the whole grain

Enriched-flour pastas lack

fiber.

and chlorpyrifos.

pastas for use at

Whole

thirty-

in pasta

home.

grain pastas are widely

available.

One cup

of pasta contains 0.1 gram of saturated

cholesterol, so

it is

a

fat

and no

wonderful diet food, too, especially when

served with a light tomato sauce instead of a butter-based

sauce or a meat sauce.*

Rice (white, cooked). pesticide saturation.

food,

you can dine

Any

As long

freely

on

exposure to toxic chemicals

kind of rice as

is

likely to

you have no

rice.

be low in

allergies to this

Rice will help you keep your

down

to very

minimal amounts

when you dine out because you can always order low-toxin rice instead of highly toxic baked potatoes and sour cream. Prefer

brown

rice,

which

is

made with

the whole grain, for

its

addi-

tional fiber content.

Rice examined in the

two residues

FDA Total

Diet Study had twenty-

in thirty-six samples representing eight different

pesticide chemical formulations.

The

pesticide detected

most

frequently was quinclorac. Pesticides and industrial chemicals

detected less frequently included 2,4,5-T, diphenyl 2-ethyl-

100

David Steinman

hexyl phosphate, iprodione, malathion, methoxychlor, and tributyl phosphate.

White

rice

is

sometimes coated with

tain asbestos impurities.

and Asian food

stores.

Such white

There

is

talc,

rice

no

which may con-

sold in

is

many

Latin

safe level of exposure to

asbestos. Stay away.

Saltine crackers, Saltines had ninety-seven pesticide and industrial residues representing nine pesticide formulations,

their metabohtes,

and industrial chemicals. Pesticides detected

most frequently included

chlorpyrifos, malathion,

and methoxy-

chlor. Detected less frequently were 1,2,-4-trimethylbenzene,

diazinon, saltines

pirimiphos-methyl, toluene, and xylene. Four

have 0.5 grams of saturated

That may not sound

cholesterol.

just four saltines? It

time.

They

is

not

fat

and 4 milligrams of

like a lot

of fat. But

who

eats

a great idea to eat saltines all the

contain quite a load of

salt,

but fortunately,

unsalted crackers are widely available now.

Shredded wheat

cereal.

Shredded wheat had eighty-five

residues representing eleven pesticide and industrial chemical

formulations. Detected most frequently were chlorpyrifos and

malathion. Appearing less fi*equently were 1,2,-4-trimethyl-

benzene, 2,4-D, clopyralid, diazinon, methoxychlor, toluene, tributle phosphate,

and xylene.

contains 0.1 grams of saturated

wheat with nonfat milk

is

chemically grown foods. result, the

One ounce fat,

no

of shredded wheat

cholesterol.

Shredded

one of your better choices among

It is a fairly

shredded wheat

itself,

rich fiber source; as a

despite

its

contamination,

helps prevent significant exposure to the same pesticides that

contaminate the product. Ye//ow Ught

Even the

grains with the heaviest pesticide saturation have

only about half the pesticide saturation of the worst dairy.

101

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

meat,

and vegetable foods. Eat yellow

fruit,

often than the green light group, but prefer

light grains less

them always over

meats and high-fat dairy foods. Seek organic varieties of these yellow light grains whenever possible.

Bagel

(plain).

my yesterdays? I

Whatever happened

to the benign bagel of

Today, having dwelved into the study's

results,

have learned that bagels had ninety-two residues in thirty-six

market basket samples. Most frequently appearing were chlorpyrifos (thirty-four of thirty-six samples), malathion (thirtythree),

and pirmiphos-methyl

Dinner

(nine).

rolls (white rolls). Soft

white enriched dinner

rolls

had 112 pesticide residues, their metabolites and industrial chemicals representing seventeen pesticide formulations. Chlorpyrifos and malathion were detected most frequently. Pesticides, metabolites

and industrial chemicals detected

less

frequently were 1,2-trichloroethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

BHC,

chlorpropham,

DDT,

diazinon, dicloran, diphenyl 2-

ethylhexyl phosphate, fenitrothion, methoxychlor, parathion,

primiphos-methyl, toluene, triphenyl phosphate, and tri(betachloroethyl) phosphate.

One

soft

contains 0.5 grams of saturated find organic

fat,

whole grain dinner

cally saturated dinner rolls

white enriched dinner

no

rolls.

cholesterol. It

is

roll

easy to

Try to replace chemi-

with their organic cousins.

English muffin (plain, toasted). Neither, alternatively to the bagel, ical

is

an English muffin

safe.

Some

seventy-nine chem-

contaminants were found in thirty-six samples of English

muffins.

Most commonly found were

chlorpyrifos

and

malathion. *

Graham

crackers.

One hundred

ninety-four chemicals

were found with chlorpyrifos, malathion, and toluene most prevalent.

Granola

(cereal).

Plain granola

is

a

tricky food.

The

supermarket brands often contain loads of sugar and hydro-

102

David Steinman

genated or tropical

oils,

both of which are rich in saturated

and may be tainted with ened granola with fruit. It is also

pesticides.

Look

for plain, unsweet-

just natural grains, nuts,

pesticide packed,

which

is

fat

and perhaps

of

bits

disappointing since

it

formerly held a green grain ranking. In the latest study, granola contained eighty-one chemical residues with fifteen different formulas, metabolites, or industrial pollutants.

up the

toxicity

was chlorpyrifos-methyl,

Heading

a particularly well-

absorbed form of the pesticide. Malathion was found in seventeen of thirty-six samples.

More

of the starring cast included

1,1,1,-trichloroethane, dicofol, toluene, Tortillas (flour). Tortillas

were found to contain quite tillas its

would have fewer

thick husk. It

with which corn

is

made with enriched white a

few

pesticides.

pesticides, because

sprayed

is

and xylene.

less

corn

Pure corn is

tor-

protected by

than wheat, and the pesticides

sprayed tend to degrade rather quickly in

the environment. Tortillas

made with

organically

grown grain

are widely available at reasonable prices at health food kets, so

flour

you can always have organic corn or

mar-

flour tortillas

on

hand. For a quick nontoxic snack or meal, pile shredded organic lettuce and peppers, vegetarian refried beans, and soy

cheese on a crisp

tortilla.

What

an excellent, satiating meal!

Tortillas are indeed a versatile snack food; heat

oven and dip them

in organic salsa for a

them

in the

wonderful spicy snack.

Unfortunately, tortillas from supermarkets did contain pesticides;

101 industrial pollutant and pesticide residues were

detected in thirty-six samples representing eight different formulations, metabolites, and industrial chemicals. Pesticides

detected most frequently included chlorpyrifos and malathion. Pesticides, their metabolites, less

frequently included

and industrial pollutants detected

diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate,

methoxychlor, pirimiphos-methyl, toluene, and xylene. tortilla

has about 0.1

gram of saturated

fat

One

and no cholesterol.

103

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Since chemical-free tortillas are so competitively priced, tiiey are definitely the solution.

Red

Light

One hundred

Butter-type crackers.

were

sixty-four chemicals

found in butter crackers with chlorpyrifos and malathion in every sample.

Fruit-flavored sweetened cereal. Here's an interesting case.

As

far as pesticides are

cereals such as Froot

concerned, fruit-flavored sweetened

Loops

by no means

are

driven snow, but they are not nearly as bad as foods.

They had 120

pure

as the

many

other

as

metaboHte, and industrial

pesticide,

chemical residues representing twenty-four formulations. Pesticide

and industrial chemicals detected most frequently

least

one-fourth of the samples

—were

—

in at

ethylene dichloride,

malathion, and toluene. Pesticides and industrial chemicals detected almost as frequendy were benzene, chlorpyrifos, and xylene. Several of these chemical pollutants accumulate in the

body and cause

cancer.

more dangerous

for children,

quently, because

pound

centrated dose.

However, these

for

One ounce

who

eat these cereals

pound children get

such

a

much

most

fre-

more con-

of fruit-flavored sweetened cereal

contains 0.2 grams of saturated fat and tion,

pesticides are

no

cholesterol. In addi-

such cereals often contain behavior- altering preservatives as

toluene.

butylated hydroxyanisole and butylatedhydroxy-

As we

shall see

when we

discuss food additives

from what we know about the greater

on children

—these

fruit cereals a

—and

effects pesticides

have

chemical concoctions make sweetened

poor breakfast food choice. To be giving

dren these chemicals plus the chemical dyes

is

chil-

really quite

obscene, but they do like those colors.

Muffins (blueberry, comntercial). Muffins with blueberry fruit filling

104

had 206 residues in

thirty-six

samples representing

David Steinman

some

twenty-five different pesticides, their metabolites, and

industrial chemical formulations.

one-fourth of the samples

at least

Most

fi*equendy detected

Among

the

in

—were 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

chlorpyrifos, ethyl benzene, malathion, styrene, toluene,

xylene.

—

and

and industrial chemicals

pesticides

detected less frequently are 1,1,1-trichloroethane, asinphos-

DDE,

methyl, benzene, chloroform, chlorthanolinil,

dichloro-

One

benzene, methoxychlor, phosmet, and trichloroethylene.

muffin contains

1.5

grams of saturated

of cholesterol. Muffin mixes

and 19 milli-grams

fat

made from chemically grown

grains without fruit will have fewer pesticides.

Popcorn (popped in

oil).

fairly pure.

The

oil in

popped

in oil

is

fairly

high

blame the corn, which was probably

in pesticides, but don't

was loaded with

Com

which the corn was popped probably

pesticides, too.

That is why popcorn had some

160 residues representing thirty-three chemical formulations. Pesticides detected

most

fi*equently

chlor, pirimiphos-methyl, toluene,

corn contains

.5

were malathion, methoxy-

and xylene.

grams of saturated

mention 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane,

fat, 1

,

1

,

1

no

One cup

of pop-

cholesterol, not to

-trichlorethane, 1,2-4-

trimethylbenzene, benzene, bromodichloromethane, butylbenzene,

DDE,

chlordane,

dichlorobenzene, lindane, PCBs,

styrene, toxpahene, trichloroethylene,

You can buy popcorn.

And

and widely as

you

calorie

a hot-air

organically

available.

please. It

Eat

makes

a

and xylene. This

popcorn maker and have

grown popcorn

as

much

is

salt,

nasty.

oil-free

reasonably priced

air-popped organic popcorn

wonderfully satisfying nontoxic, low-

midnight snack. Hold the butter (or

organic dairy) and

is

at least

make

it

please.

Raisin bran cereal. Raisin bran had 141 pesticides, their metabolites and industrial chemical residues representing

some

twenty formulations. Pesticides detected most frequently were 2,4-D, chlorpyrifos, dicofol, endosulfan, malathion, and

105

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

propargite. Less frequently detected toxic chemicals were

1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

captan,

DDE,

dicamba, dicloran,

dimethoate, iprodione, and pirimiphos-methyl.

Many

of the

pesticides in this cereal, such as dicofol, are present because of

the pesticides sprayed

on the

fruit.

Fortunately, several excel-

lent brands of raisin bran with organic bran flakes raisins are sold nationwide.

One ounce

contains 0.1 grams of saturated

fat,

no

and organic

of raisin bran cereal

cholesterol.

Rye bread. Rye bread had 115 residues representing twenty pesticide and industrial chemical formulations. Pesti-

were

cides detected in at least one-fourth of the samples

chlorpyrifos,

malathion, and pirimiphos-methyl.

pyrifos and malathion

Some

thirty-six samples.

chemicals detected

mophos-ethyl,

were each found

less

DDT,

Chlor-

in thirty-five of

of the pesticides and industrial

frequently were benzene,

BHC,

bro-

diszinon, hexachorobenzene, lindane,

methoxychlor, parathion, permethrin, pirimiphos-methyl,

One

toluene, and xylene.

grams of saturated

fat,

bread contains very organic rye bread kets and

wide,

is

by mail. baked

no

little

of rye bread contains 0.2

cholesterol.

Most

so-called rye

rye flour. However, 100 percent

now widely available at health food marOne excellent organic rye, available nationis

at Mill

percent organic

slice

—an

City Bakery in Minneapolis and

excellent, tasty

is

100

sandwich bread.

White bread. White bread had 183 chemical residues thirty-six

in

samples representing some twenty-five pesticides,

their metabolites,

and industrial pollutants. Leading appear-

ance makers included 2,4-D, benzene, chloropyrifos-methyl, diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate, malathion, and toluene. Also

showing up were 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

BHC,

chloroform, diazinon, dicamba, dichlorobenzene,

ethyl benzene, ethylenethiourea, irpodione, pirimiphos-methyl,

styrene, trichloroethylene,

106

and xylene.

David Steinman

Whole wheat bread. Wheat and

heavily sprayed both before

Although many of the most dangerous

after harvest.

postharvest chemicals that

not detected in the

we have

FDA Total

were detected

cides

is

in

previously discussed were

Diet Study, an array of pesti-

whole wheat sandwich bread. This

bread had 122 residues in thirty-six samples representing twelve different formulations or chemicals. Pesticides, their metabolites, and industrial chemicals detected in at least one-

fourth of the samples included 2,4-D, chlorpyrifos, dicamba,

diphneyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate, malathion, and pirimiphosmethyl. Chlorpyrifos and malathion were found in each and

every sample. Pesticides and industrial chemicals detected frequently were

1,1,1-trichloroethane,

1,2,4-trimethylben-

zene, diazinon, lindane, parathion, toluene, and xylene. slice

no

One

of whole wheat bread contains 0.4 grams of saturated

cholesterol.

So many

less

fat,

excellent, reasonably priced organic

breads are available by mail order and at health food markets that

you should

These breads

really try to bring

them

home.

into your

really offer satiety because their ingredients are

pure and wholesome.

And

toxic exposure. I have seen

of course they allow you to avoid

many laboratory reports

that attest

to the purity of organic grains. See the Personal Action in this

book

for the

names of bakeries

Guide

that produce whole-

some, pure organic breads.* Shopping Tips If

your market does not

mend

that

you seek

most markets do. find

one

in

sell

a health

It just

organic whole grains,

makes business

your community because

it is

sense. If

on the

Internet.

recom-

Organic grains,

keep well enough so that delivery

is

you cannot

that retrograde, there

are plenty of distributors that sell organic

ucts

I

food store that carries them. But

whole grain prod-

cereals,

and even breads

absolutely

no problem. 107

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Baldwin Hill Bakery in Massachusetts, for example, produces wonderful whole grain raisin bread, which can be

shipped to your home. Mill City Bakery of Minneapolis produces pure and tasty sandwich breads, which are sold by mail

many major Minnesota

order and in

Oregon was

dough Bakery

in

learned their

skills at

markets. Sunrise Sour-

recently founded

by bakers who

Baldwin Hill Bakery. Breads from

all

these bakeries can be ordered by mail. Organic breads are

crunchy, filling foods

of pure ingredients with wonderful

fall

See the Personal Action Guide to find out where you can

taste.

find organic breads and other grains and grain products.

Fortunately for

all

of us and our land and rivers and

the market for organically ucts

is

expanding! This

is

grown

seas,

grains and grain-based prod-

go almost anywhere

great! I can

and find organic whole grain foods.

I

now

recently visited super-

markets in Washington, D.C.; Takoma Park, Maryland; Seattle,

Washington;

New

York City; Phoenix, Arizona; Los

Angeles and San Francisco, California; and Thibodaux, Louisiana, and found that organic whole grain products, from

cookies and crackers to pasta, were widely available.

whole nation

ward

is

this great

catching on. But

message that

is

we need good

so

The

to keep bringing for-

for America.

Organically grown raw whole grains are sold packaged and in bulk at health food markets.

wheat

You can

find organically

grown

berry, millet, rye, rice, wild rice, amaranth, triticale,

barley, oats, quinoa,

and many other grains for

sale in health

food stores. Be sure to keep plenty of organic whole wheat pasta

on hand

at

home from your

favorite

Be aware of some grain products' and other grain foods such partially

good-foods market.

ingredients.

as cereals contain

hydrogenated vegetable

oils.

These

Some

breads

hydrogenated or oils

make

grains

and cereals tender. They most often include hydrogenated corn, cottonseed, and soybean

108

oils.

The

hydrogenation process adds

— David Steinman

hydrogen atoms to the

liquid vegetable oils

which provides longer shelf vegetable

turns

oils

them

under high pressure,

But the hydrogenation of

Hfe.

to semisolid saturated fats.

Some

researchers believe trans-fatty acids, created in the hydrogenation process, can interact with your body's cells and alter cell

membranes, which are made up of layers of fat, so that they will allow carcinogens, which are

more

easily.

arteries

fat soluble, to pass

through even

Besides well-documented links to hardening of the

and heart

disease,

hydrogenated

fats are also

suspected

of playing a role in the increased incidence of bladder and breast cancers; certainly, the increased trend of using hydrogenated oils parallels

sible that

the rising incidences of these cancers, and

pos-

they might play a contributing cumulative role. You

should drop foods with these course, experts call

more

it is

oils

from your

them "highly inflammatory

diet.

Today, of

foods," but, put

simply, they are simply "bad" for you.

Potassium bromate

is

an oxidizer (other oxidizers include

potassium iodate, calcium bromate, and calcium iodate) added

make bakery foods Potassium bromate has been shown to be a

in relatively large fluffy

and

mutagen.

soft.

Many

usually listed

amounts

to flour to help

breads contain potassium bromate, which

on the

label.

is

Avoid them.

Some muffin mixes could be dangerous to your health. Most mixes are made with nutritionally deficient enriched flour lacking in fiber, and they introduce aluminum baking powder also known as SAS or sodium aluminum phosphate

—

to your body.

may

phate

aluminum is

a

a lot

Baked goods containing sodium aluminum phos-

introduce as

into your

as

5

toxic

metal!

Aluminum

to

15

milligrams of

serving. That,

of aluminum to be eating. After

beheved to play ders.

much

body with each

all,

we

my

fiiend,

are talking about

has no nutritional value and

a role in Alzheimer's disease

We're not sure of the exact

role but

is

and related disor-

nobody can say

it

109

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

no

plays

and there

role,

good evidence

is

pounds

is

why take

a

aluminum

is

an

one to which we are chronically

especially dangerous metal,

exposed. So

that

chance when the use of aluminum com-

such an absolutely needless additive and

risk?

Baked goods with sodium aluminum siHcate or sodium siHco aluminate also introduce aluminum into your body. Sodium tar-

powders that have no aluminum are better choices. Labels

trate

are not required to specify

when aluminum baking powder

is

So you should assume an aluminum baking powder is used

used.

unless the label specifically states that

Have you

ever noticed

none

is

in the mix.

how many "country" breads are sold

today? Well, "country" breads are often baked with inferior

enriched flour, hydrogenated

oils, additives,

Don't be fooled! Being country

and preservatives.

ain't necessarily as

pure as the

driven snow.

Sweeteners such as sugar, corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, honey, and molasses are used to feed the yeast in bread, and

may add some

they

made without

flavor.

If

better, tastier breads

the worst sweeteners. Better choides are

complex sweeteners. Stevia cates.

But there are

Seek these

is

safer choices.

any of these ingredients or processing practices are

on the

label of a grain product,

And any one

more

favored by natural health advo-

you can consider

it

listed

suspect.

of these suspect chemicals should sound a clear

and strong warning that you are looking at a product made with inferior ingredients or

one that has undergone

less

than top-

quahty processing. Regard any inferior ingredient or processing

method

as a red flag,

Follow these

and keep that product out of your

tips for storing

whole

cart.

grains, flour, cereals,

and other grain-based foods:

•

Grains, All grains contain enzymes that produce rancidity

under improper storage conditions. Store

110

in a cool place

1

David Steinman

or in a refrigerator or freezer, out of direct sunlight, to

keep them fresher for a longer time. Remember, organic grains have

no

preservatives.

And

So use them!

proper

storage, in a cool dark place, will help preserve their fresh-

ness longer. •

Brown

rice. Store

brown

rice in

an

airtight container, as

can produce an odor. In hot weather, store brown

Use

refrigerator. •

in three to six

it

rice in the

months.

Flour. Store flour in the freezer in an airtight, moisture-free container.

Always

store soy flour, with

its

high

fat

content,

in the refrigerator.

Safe Shopping List: Grains

Number

Green Light Biscuit (from refrigerated dough, baked)

73

Corn bread (homemade)

82

of Residues

Cornflakes

5

Crisped rice cereal

1

Egg noodles

68

Farina (wheat cereal, quick,

one to three minutes, cooked)

16

Grits (regular, cooked)

1

Oatmeal

(quick,

one

to

three minutes, cooked)

27

Oat

47

rings (cereal)

Pancakes (from mix)

86

Pasta (made with meat sauce)

33

Pasta (made with tomato sauce)

10

Rice (white, cooked)

22

Saltine crackers

97

Shredded wheat

cereal)

85

111

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Number of Residues

Yellow Light Bagel (plain)

Dinner

92

rolls (white rolls)

English muffin (plain, toasted)

Graham Granol

79 109

crackers

81

(cereal)

Rye bread

115

Tortillas

101

Number of Residues

Red Light Butter-type crackers

112

112

164

Fruit-flavored sweetened cereal

127

Muffins (blueberry, commercial)

206

Popcorn (popped

160

in oil)

Raisin bran cereal

141

Rye bread

115

White bread

183

Whole wheat bread

122

FIVE Animal Foods

This

is

where Americans

really get

more of them than they need

eat far

We

down

to

Most Americans I eat animals. You

it.

—animals.

I eat animal foods including seafood no week when Fm at my best practice and in top shape and red meat no more than once every couple of weeks.

eat them.

more than But

I

do

eat them.

twice a

like a

good steak every now and then.

I

might even go

to Ruth's Chris if I could ever get a table. I truly relish these

foods

when

I

have them. But knowing what

I

do of their toxic

dangers, of the burden that raising cattle places on the environ-

ment, and of the inhumane conditions under which mals are raised,

to eat these foods

I feel it's vital

many

seldom and

ani-

to eat

much worse now than ever existed when I wrote the first edi-

only the safest cuts. Things are before.

Mad cow

never even

tion of this book. It wasn't even

But today mad cow

Europe and

in the

symptom of

the

is

real

on the

and has infected

this

widespread

mad cow

is

is

cattle

throughout

Mad cow is a World War IIpractices spawned. That it deeper problem. You see,

United States and Canada.

inhumane husbandry

postindustrial animal industrialization is

radar.

a

symptom of

awful, and

it

a

that our

screwed things up in the United

— Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Kingdom

for sure

and made some problems for the United

Japan and

States with

trade.

But

it

makes cows commodities

without heart or feeHng. So you get the factory farm, and you get the cheapest feed possible,

dered

cow

possible,

it

cow

unending

parts. In its

feed

seems almost ecological in

But the truth

is, it is

made from other

ren-

of recycling everything

circle

a twisted sort of way.

bad animal husbandry.

The

ranchers

of America who've practiced grass pasture management have

been taking care of their cows with see, natural cattle is

—the whole

rise

a different perspective.

You

of natural cattle ranching

because the ranchers of Colorado could not survive at their

smaller size

if

modities with

they all

was no market.

let their calves

and

cattle

be sold

com-

as

of the acquisitions and mergers. There really

It

was you who brought your

cattle there,

and

they gave you the price like there was something else you

could do with them

if

you

didn't like the price

kering to take your business someplace

else.

and had

a

han-

Because ranchers

Mel Coleman and others throughout Colorado and Oregon were going broke on the commodity market, they created their own market. It was brilliant. It was real, and it all

like

started with a

memo

of understanding between the U.S.

Department of Agriculture and Mel Coleman of Coleman Natural Beef that detailed the quality control measures to safe-

guard

a fledgling

out of necessity.

market.

The Colemans

They were unable

invented the market

to sell their calves

and sur-

They worked with the US DA to effectively define a new market. They don't know they did this, or maybe they do but would not say so themselves, but one thing Mel Coleman Jr. is proud of is that his father taught a whole new way or a whole new "old" way of grass management that took into account the

vive.

fact that the better cattle ranchers

agers.

were

At the same time, the use of hormones

in cattle

big news due to cases of diethylstilbestrol use

114

manbecame

effective grass

among

cattle

David Steinman

ranchers in the national food supply. Studies

human death.

cancers over generations.

They should have

been.

But what happened was that

The

DES

use of

was

to

reckless.

the cattle ranchers did was to

all

switch to other cancer-causing yet poorly studied tutes,

DES causes

show

Consumers were scared

other anabolic hormones in beef that

DES

I later

substi-

document.

Freedom of Information Act request to the FDA to obtain files detailing levels of hormones in beef from implanted animals. These confidential Food and Drug AdminI

made

istration

The

a

documents reveal the following: implant

REVALOR,

containing both trenbolone

form of testosterone) and

acetate (a synthetic

estradiol,

is

used

to increase the rate of weight gain in steers in feed lots. It causes significantly greater gains in

weight in the uterus and ovaries

"due to the hormonal action of the

test materials." It also

markedly stimulated division of breast

cells.

diol

and a progestin,

also used for

is

Synovex-S, estra-

growth promotion in steers.

Synovex-S increases estradiol concentrations in muscle by twelvefold; in liver

by

sixfold; in

kidney by ninefold; and in

When cattle

by twenty-three-fold. lowing implantation,

levels are

implants, they are higher

still;

are slaughtered shortiy fol-

even higher. With multiple

with intramuscular implants, yet

even higher. Synovex-H, estradiol and testosterone,

growth promotion

is

used for

in cows. Estradiol concentrations after

implantation were sixfold higher in muscle; fifteenfold in eightfold in kidney; and

more than

sixfold in fat.

cows in feed

lots. It

cancers in experimental animals.

were found in cles.

At

cattle,

induces rapidly invasive breast

Marked

1

estrogenic influences folli-

80 days, concentrations up to nearly

32 parts per billion (ppb) were found in in muscle,

produc-

including increased size of ovarian

typical levels, for

liver;

Melengestrol

acetate, a potent progestin that stimulates estrogen tion, is fed to

fat

fat,

and 14 parts per billion in liver.

12 parts per billion

RALGRO, the fungal 115

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

toxin zeranol,

zeralenone.

It

is

converted in the body into the carcinogenic

induces liver and pituitary tumors in male

rodents; increases uterine weight, a clear-cut estrogenic effect;

and encourages enlargement of ovarian concluded that these "significant its

Under normal use, residues as high as ppb are found in muscle and 0.3 ppb in fat. For organ cuts,

hormonal

0.13

The FDA

follicles.

effects [can be] attributed to

levels

activity."

range up to 8 parts per billion in

lion in kidney.

These

combined with

that,

liver

and

2 parts per bil-

are extraordinarily high concentrations

its

greater

hormonal

present risks

activity,

thousands of times greater than pseudoestrogenic pesticides

and industrial chemicals. right

up

until slaughter

Yet, zeranol

is

used on most cattle

and there are no requirements to pro-

vide additional time to get the toxin out of their systems.

More

than two decades ago and during a time

was being implanted

in cattle

meant

for market,

when DES Roy Hertz,

then director of endocrinology of the National Cancer Institute

and

a

world authority on hormonal cancer, warned of the

carcinogenic risks of estrogenic feed additives, particularly for

hormonally

sensitive tissues such as breast tissue, because they

could increase normal body hormonal levels and disturb delicately poised

hormonal balances. In 1977 Dr. Hertz responded

to the cattle industry's trivializing

women's exposure

to hor-

monal animal drugs:

The

average

woman

will

have on any given day in her

total

plasma volume approximately 20 micrograms equivalent of estrogen activity.

We know

also,

from the standpoint of

cancer, that if we cut that level of estrogen in half,

tomy, in a third of the cases existing breast cancer.

amount of estrogen previously been

116

we can

woman

if

we add back

with breast cancer

ovariectomized,

ovariec-

get a regression of a pre-

We also know that

to a

by

we can

who

exacerbate

that

has

her

David Steinman

disease.

... So that gives you an order of magnitude of the

kind of trace substance we're involved with. This business of thousands of tons of beef is a reductio ad absurdum which has

no pertinence

problem before

to the physiological

us.

.

.

.

We're talking about the addition to an important food item of a substance at a

level

same order of magnitude logical effects in the

body

of concentration which

of the

which has profound physio-

as that

human body

normally, in the

human

by breast cancer.

affected

high-energy

In the low-toxin,

diet,

recommend that all food come from I

no more than one-third of

absolutely

is

animal sources, including meat, poultry, seafood, dairy foods,

and eggs

—and

I

strongly

recommend with beef sources you go

added growth hormones.

for products without

believe that even this

is

too high and

tell

Many

you

experts

to avoid beef

completely, whether natural or hyped up with growth hor-

mones.

I

mean,

it is

such an inconsistent position to allow their

use in beef farming.

Think of

this way.

it

They're

illegal for

use in professional and amateur sports for good reason.

They're powerful agents even foods

—they're much better

sure to the saturated

most dangerous

fat, as

well.

Fruits, vegetables,

at

for

very low doses.

you

Go

for reducing

pesticides

for plant

your expo-

and to cholesterol and

Always remember the two-thirds

and grains are

ways and should make up

far

more

healthful in

at least two-thirds

of your

rule.

many

diet. But,

selected with care and an understanding of safe eating guidelines,

animal foods can be nutritious and can provide a

enhancing variety of

make

flavors. Let's

up

life-

that even higher. Just

sure the beef wasn't supercharged with

some estrogen or

added other anabolic agent. Besides the addition of anabolic the

wrong animal foods can

hormones

to cattle, eating

place a huge toxic burden

on your 117

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

body

for other reasons.

Farm animals

are high

enough on the

food web; in their flesh they bioconcentrate toxins from the

thousands of pesticide-sprayed grasses and grains they've

consumed

or, in

the case of

thousands of other animals.

some

fish

and game, meats from

The most

potent toxins routinely

found in the American diet are in meat, seafood, poultry, and dairy products.

There

are fewer residues in

some animal foods than

in

some

plant foods, but those found in the animal foods are

often

more dangerous. This

is

cumulate in animal flesh are

human flesh. Some

because the residues that bioaclikely also to

bioaccumulate in

of the residues on plant foods are

less

hkely

to bioaccumulate. Toxins in animal flesh are absorbed into the

human body more easily than toxins in plant foods, and the toxins may be activated to become more potent carcinogens by the fats in which they are stored.

The not

pesticides

and industrial pollutants in animal

only danger.

its

Modern

modern farming methods,

flesh are

animal-raising methods, like

rely far too heavily

on chemical

intervention. Cattle and hogs are given antibiotics in their feed

and hormone implants to increase their growth, and these chemicals, [but not

pean

when improperly used

all]

(as

American ranchers), can

common

they have been by

affect

many

humans. The Euro-

market recently banned the import of U.S.-

grown beef that has been treated with hormones. And there is serious

problem with routine use of antibiotics and

cines in animal feed to

combat

sulfa

diseases caused

a

medi-

by over-

crowding. These drugs can harm consumers, and they have

helped create

many superstrains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,

which are affecting our health and even causing some deaths.

Most of the

toxins in animal foods

come from

as the toxins in plant foods: farmers'

118

the same source

overuse of chemicals.

David Steinman

Pesticides are in the food given to cows, pigs, and chickens,

and they pollute water

fish

rivers

and

lakes, infesting the flesh

and many saltwater

of fresh-

species.

The dangerous long-term

carcinogens and neurotoxins

found in meat, poultry, dairy foods, and seafood include chlordane,

DDT,

dieldrin, dioxin, heptachlor,

BHC,

HCB, and

lin-

dane, according to records obtained from the

FDA

and the

A

1987

USDA

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). report indicated that

DDT, HCB,

24 had and

among

dieldrin, 22

a

sampling of 278 cows, 74 had

had heptachlor, 10 had

BHC,

7

had

had chlordane. These potent cancer-causing

2

among the most dangerous long-term poisons in American diet. The pesticide contamination of the worst

chemicals are the

some dairy products poses a more than one thousand times above the

cuts of meat, seafood, and even risk that

is

thirty to

government's negligible-risk standard for cancer caused by toxic chemicals in our food

ments

I

and water, according to

risk assess-

have performed for both the Arizona Republic news-

paper and the National Academy of Sciences.

When looking at pesticide profiles of individual blood samples, it is easy to tell

particularly beef,

which people

eat a lot of animal foods,

and which ones have supplanted many of

their

meat and dairy dishes with plant foods.

flesh

and dairy food eaters

pounds of these potent whereas those httle bit of is

all.

who

will

Invariably, the

have easily detectable com-

pesticides circulating in their blood,

eat a largely vegetarian diet will have a

DDT—often less than

1

part per billion

—and that

Since these powerful chemicals are probable cancer-

causing agents in the rotoxic properties, to them.

We

significantly

it

human body

in addition to

would seem prudent

can find out

how

having neu-

to reduce exposure

to reduce our toxic exposures

by learning which animal foods are the purest and

which are the most contaminated. And by cutting down our 119

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

we can

exposure,

give our bodies the chance they need to

detox a Hfetime's accumulation of toxic chemicals. Since animals store toxins in their fatty tissues, an impor-

remember

tant rule to

dangerous

it is.

is

more

that the fattier the food, the

This applies across the board. Ground meats,

fatty meats, processed meats, the skin

of poultry, the dark fatty

portions of fish, whole milk, cheese, and ice cream are

high

all

in toxins. Since the fats in these foods also contribute to high

cholesterol levels and heart disease, avoiding beneficial to

them

doubly

is

your health.

Fatty foods

may even potentiate the toxic chemicals that are

lodged in them. In one animal study, chemical carcinogens given to rats were that

was fed

more

fatty foods

a high-fat diet

likely to

itself

a

group

than in a group fed low-fat foods. Thus,

of animal foods is double trouble: the most potent

pesticides are concentrated in

of fat

produce tumors in

fat,

may actually enhance

Worldwide,

a

clear

between the highest

and the chemical properties

their carcinogenicity.

association

consistently

appears

rates of cancer of the breast, colon,

prostate and nations that have the fattiest diets.

I

and

believe that

the link results from a combination of the fat itself and to

some

extent the toxic chemicals, such as industrial pollutants and pesticides,

The

lodged in fatty

link

tissues.

between cancer and meat

eaters'

exposure to toxic

chemicals goes even deeper. All fried and broiled foods contain

mutagens, chemicals that can damage cellular reproductive material.

But

fi-ied

and broiled meats have

than similarly prepared plant foods.

One

some 20 percent of American meat mutagens in

more mutagens

study indicates that

eaters

may

have toxic

their digestive tract that can be absorbed into the

bloodstream and can attack

cells.

The same

that vegetarians are unlikely to have any digestive tract.

120

far

study indicated

mutagens in

their

David Steinman

My

research indicates that thousands of Americans are

hkely to develop premature cancer

—simply

neurotoxicity

—and possibly symptoms of

as a result

of the industrial chemical

and pesticide residues in their favorite cuts of meat, poultry, and seafood. Heavy meat eaters frankfurters and

hamburgers

who

eat high-fat meats such as

have higher body burdens of

will

cancer-causing pesticides and are at higher risk of serious ness than persons

who

eat

goal

is

poultry.

to inform Americans that the risk

cides ingested in their favorite foods

know and

ill-

meat, choose lean cuts, trim

remove the skin from

the fat from red meat, and

My

little

is

certainly higher than the

much

from

pesti-

higher than they

government concedes.

Consumers have been made the unwitting victims of low-level pesticide exposures. I estimate that 50 percent of animal foods

could easily be contaminated with carcinogenic pesticides,

based on than

1

my review of USDA meat inspection reports. Yet less

percent of the meat eaten in this country

contamination.

And

sampled for

the routine tests used by federal inspec-

tors often are not designed to detect

cides

is

and chemicals. Federal

officials

many dangerous

pesti-

(whose numbers were

greatly reduced during the 1980s) regularly inspect for

more than one-tenth of all poultry and meat,

many

no

possible chemical Contaminants in

of which are

known

or suspected

health hazards, according to a recent statement by Public

Voice for Food and Health Policy,

a

Washington-based advo-

cacy group promoting safer food.

Despite these knowledge gaps,

we know enough

to

make

us

passionately concerned about the safety of our animal foods. In

some four hundred thousand chickens belonging to Townsend Poultry Products of Batesville, Arkansas, had to be 1989,

destroyed because of contamination by the pesticide heptachlor. In

1986, Banquet Foods destroyed two hundred thousand

chickens in Arkansas as a result of chlordane contamination.

A 121

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

few years

earlier,

Washington turkeys were found

to be con-

taminated with PCBs. After the inadvertent contamination of

Michigan

cattle

with a cancer- causing

made with 1973-74, more than 5

fire

polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) in million pounds of PBB-tainted

the

retardant

hamburger was consumed by

Smoked chubs from the Great Lakes, catstriped bass, and many other seafood favorites

state's residents.

fish, bluefish,

though they contain dangerously high

are regularly sold even

amounts of PCBs,

An

dieldrin, dioxin,

internal audit

and other toxic chemicals.

by the inspector

U.S. Department of Agriculture in tainted

meat had been allowed

to pass

The

1988 discovered that

on

even after federal inspectors found that taminated.

general's office of the

to

it

American kitchens

was chemically con-

federal auditors discovered that the Agricul-

ture Department's

Food

Safety and Inspection Service was

unable to successfully investigate pesticide violations in 79 percent of the cases reviewed. All too often, by the time lab

were complete, the product was already sold and con-

results

sumed.

The General Accounting

Food and Drug Administration has for protecting

government tect us all

Office reported that the a similarly dismal

record

consumers from contaminated seafood. Despite

officials'

constant reassurances, they cannot pro-

from eating harmful amounts of toxic chemicals.

You must be responsible, ultimately, for the safety of your food.

The government

poultry,

isn't.

You must seek the

and seafood, or buy from ranchers

who

safest meat,

feed their ani-

mals organically grown grains. Fortunately, free

many

meat and poultry

ranchers are bringing to market,

seafood. Shopping savvy

is

and there

is

safe, pesticide-

plenty of pristine

the key to safe eating, but you can

shop smart only if you know which pesticides are in your foods

and

at

what concentrations.

When you know the facts, you can

take action and protect yourself.

122

I

SIX Meat and Poultry

Ask children where they will

answer

tell

—for

you

it

meat or chicken comes from, and

comes from the supermarket.

a child; everything

But we're not children.

come from,

their

We

is

A

cute

"chicken" to them, anyway.

should be aware of where our foods

the conditions under which the animals are raised,

and especially what chemicals used

in raising the animals

may

affect the health

of those consuming them. If we act responsibly,

our children

have

act,

will

a

good model

to learn from.

The

better

we

the better they will.

The Factory Farm In addition to the pesticide residues concentrated in the flesh of

food animals, a huge array of chemicals

is

fed to cattle, pigs, and

poultry by farmers hoping to increase their yield. In a way, these

chemicals are the animal equivalents of chemical pesticides used

on

plants.

Not

fertilizers

and

content with nature's way, meat

and poultry farmers try to speed the animals' weight gain, "improve" the appearance of their able marketing qualities

They

flesh,

and achieve other desir-

by feeding them various chemicals.

also try to increase their profit

by raising animals

in the

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

smallest space possible and

by giving them measurable, con-

trollable feed instead of allowing

of course,

is

The result, among the ani-

to forage.

increased disease and mortality

mals. Farmers try to solve this it

them

problem with

—

^you guessed

—more chemicals. Their drugs of choice include

and

sulfa. Antibiotics are

ally

prevent bacteria from reproducing.

The fowl

is

used to

kill

antibiotics

bacteria. Sulfa drugs usu-

routine use of antibiotics in the diets of pigs, catde, and

a serious

problem

in the factory farmyard.

Today

at least

half of all antibiotics produced yearly in the United States are fed to farm animals to prevent disease.

Up

to 90 percent of the

chickens, 80 percent of veal calves and pigs, and 60 percent of

the beef catde raised for food in the United States are routinely

given antibiotic medications mixed direcdy with their feed.

For more than

a decade, the

government has watched

as

the pork industry has consistendy brought to market products

with elevated residues of sulfamethazine and other sulfa drugs.

The most popular of these drugs, sulfamethazine, is suspected to be a human carcinogen. Why are they used? Steve Marbery, editor of the trade publication

Hog Farm Management,

noted, "For the majority of producers, sulfa

is

has

a low-cost

mask poor management practices or bad environment maybe both." According to the magazine, 97 percent of hog producers rely on feed-grade medication. "As farm size [grows] among the operations surveyed, so [does] the crutch that can

—

tendency to use feed additives," he tion rate for sulfa residues

says.

A

12.6 percent viola-

was found among thirty-four

Indiana swine herds in one survey. In

Illinois,

nearly 20 per-

cent of the hogs sampled in a yearlong residue-monitoring

program contained Illinois

The

farm had

a

sulfa residues

above the violation

50 percent violation

factory farm setting

is

rate.

One

rate.

directly responsible for the

sulfamethazine-tainted cuts of pork purchased by consumers.

124

David Steinman

"Reduce overcrowding and you reduce the need British

says

swine scientist

Tom

Alexander.

for sulfa,"

of

"Instead

enlarging accommodations, the average producer will increase the

number of pigs per

pen. This overcrowding works

through the growing and finishing, resulting in slowing of growth rate and, throughout, a

its

way

a gradual

rise in disease levels

and reliance on medication." If you first

have ever been inside a modern hog barn, one of the

you

things

hard to ignore.

will notice

The

is

an ammonia stench.

reason for the stench

is

that

The

smell

hog barns

is

are

often built with slatted floors over large pits so that feces and

urine can

fall

through to be collected and hauled away, often

hog farmers have

to the fields. Still other

and urine into holding lagoons;

ters that transport the feces

however, these huge

pits

installed flush gut-

of toxic animal waste have become a

major pollution problem in the Midwest, in some areas severely contaminating shallow groundwater. In the traditional

hog

barn,

all this

ronment and form

and urine interact with the envi-

feces

brew of toxic gases

a witches'

ammonia, methane, and hydrogen to

four hours a day.

America now

absolutely

stalls,

raise

is

inhale these fiimes twenty-

Around 20 percent of the hogs

largest

birth to slaughter.

The

them

threat

omnipresent. Sometimes hogs become sick

and lose weight. Others may contract contagious

and

disease that causes the bones

degenerate.

hog farms

in total confinement, allowing

no time outside from

of pneumonia

feeling lightheaded

after their visit has ended.

Hogs, confined to tiny

in

sulfide. First-time visitors

Midwest hog barns frequently report

and feeble even hours

that includes

The hog

farmer

spreads through a barn like

Unlike the consumer,

rhinitis, a

tissues of the pig's

lives in fear

snout to

of rhinitis because

it

fire.

who must

scription to obtain antibiotics

have

a physician's pre-

and other medications, ranchers

125

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

simply go to the local feed store and purchase enormous sacks of antibiotics, which they then mix with the animals' feed. But

how careful can the farmers be? Not too careful, sometimes. The result often is an excess amount of residue in the animals' tissues after they are slaughtered. Yet there

is little

chance that

the government, which has an embarrassingly small sampling

program,

will detect those animals

sulfamethazine in their tissues.

with excessive antibiotics or

The

ranchers

sickly animals are loaded with antibiotics

and

know

this so

sulfa drugs.

Sulfamethazine has been used since the 1940s to prevent respiratory disease toxic effects

among market

hogs.

It is

known

to cause

on the thyroid gland of humans, including nodRecent

ules that could be cancerous.

tests

on mice and

rats also

indicate sulfamethazine could be a carcinogen. In both labora-

tory animals and humans, the effects the thyroid gland.

may be

use

There

is

a

restricted farther

seem

good chance

to be centered

on

that sulfamethazine

by the government and that

sulfa

drugs will even be pulled completely from the market for use

with animals intended for

human consumption

because of

concerns over putting another carcinogenic substance into the

food supply and the excessively high levels found in pork.

The

presence of residues of antibiotics and sulfa drugs in

meat and poultry can cause severe sensitive to these drugs.

instance, have

allergic reactions in

People sensitive to

people

penicillin, for

been known to have serious reactions

after

eating veal because of the penicillin residues in the meat.

Government regulations drugs. But

restrict use

of antibiotics and sulfa

government watchdogs are hard pressed

to stop the

unlawful and widespread antibiotic and sulfa drug contamination of pork. ally.

More

than 80 million hogs are slaughtered annu-

At most, a fraction of

chemical residues. There

1

is

percent of these are inspected for little

reason to beheve that the

Department of Agriculture's sampling program has any 126

David Steinman

significance.

statistical

exceeding the speed

Ranchers, have

limit,

like

little

fi*eeway

drivers

fear that they will be

caught.

Thus

the

presented here, fi*om

figures

USDA

meat

inspection reports, are probably low-end estimates of the extent of the sulfamethazine contamination of pork products.

Nevertheless, these very conservative figures are disturbing. In 1987, for example,

were tested

more than 10 percent of market hogs

at slaughtering plants

tables of Americans

than

5

that

and intended for the dining

had residues of sulfamethazine, and more

percent of those residues were high enough to warrant

and warnings. The

violation notices

ficult to eliminate;

problem

will

be

dif-

most ranchers who use sulfamethazine do

not even think of the medication

When

sulfa

as a toxic chemical.

consumers eat bacon and eggs, they are not

counting on exposure to a suspected tumor-inducing chemical

such as sulfamethazine. But that

the reality that has been

is

spawned by the modern factory farm. It's

sad.

Hogs

are

among

the most intelligent of our farm-

yard animals. Turning them into biomachines and confining

them

in

overcrowded pens

take part

in.

is

something you may not want to

In the Personal Action Guide at the end of this

book, you will find the names of pork producers whose ani-

mals are raised under

humane

conditions without massive

doses of antibiotics and sulfamethazine.

Ranchers' reliance on hormones in raising cattle result of the factory

is

another

farm system. Hormones are given to

between 65 and 99 percent of the

cattle raised for slaughter in

the United States. Farmers find that the

hormones speed

growth and produce leaner meat. Industry experts claim there is

no danger

to

humans from

used properly. But,

these

like antibiotics,

hormones when they

are

growth hormones are sold

to ranchers over the counter without a veterinary prescription,

127

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

no adequate system of inspection for hormone meat and poultry despite the fact that added estro-

and there levels in

is

genic and androgenic burdens on our bodies can cause cancer,

and hormones implanted in

cattle

may contain both

estrogens

and androgens.

And

there have been horror stories. In Puerto Rico in the

early 1980s, premature puberty

ment of

breasts

—menstruation and the develop-

and pubic hair in children under the age of

—reached epidemic

eight

levels.

Physicians studying the problem

foimd that removing chicken and milk from the children's

diets

An independent investigation of

significandy reduced symptoms.

supermarket meats in Puerto Rico by a university researcher indicated extremely high estrogen levels in

some samples of pork

and chicken. Other researchers found synthetic hormones circulating in the bloodstream of the children.

In Italy in 1980,

enced puberty.

mone DES

DES

The

some children age two and

proved to be the synthetic hor-

culprit

was banned

cause cancer. In

in the its

illegally.

United States and Europe in the

abiHty to interact directly with

West Germany in August

thousand veal calves sold to

a

to have been given a mixed calves

which was being used

(diethylstilbestrol),

1970s because of

three experi-

1988,

late

DNA and

some fourteen

U.S. military base were found

hormone

many of debacles made

cocktail;

had to be destroyed. Both of these

the the

use of hormones a red-hot health and political issue in Europe.

Then,

in

January 1989, the European Economic

American

nity prohibited the import of

Commu-

cattle treated

with

growth hormones. The ban affected $100 million worth of U.S. beef and beef by-products.

Now, what was

all

the fuss about?

industry has been teUing us that threat to the health of the are told, the

128

The American

hormones pose absolutely no

American consumer. After

amounts added

to

beef

meat

all,

we

are absolutely minuscule.

David Steinman

Let's look at the use of hormones

from the European point

of view. There are three primary reasons for European oppo-

hormones

sition to the use of

several significant

much

organ

consists of

First,

human health tragedies involving indiscrim-

inate use of hormones have years. Second,

farm animals.

in raising

been reported in Europe in recent

of the American meat sold in Europe

cuts,

which do accumulate

toxic chemicals

such as antibiotics and possibly hormones. Third, Europeans

have not been brainwashed into believing that factory farming is

the only

way to

tion. Indeed,

raise animals

intended for

European pubHc opinion

is

human consump-

soundly opposed to

the factory farm. In 1985 European farmers were prohibited

from using hormones

in raising livestock. Earlier,

England

prohibited the regular subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in

animal feed.

It's

only a pity the U.K. took so long to wise up to

the use of bovine brain and other organs in cattle feed.

When safe;

used properly, hormones are not even completely

everybody knows they increase

mented

book

this clearly in

risk of cancers. I

docu-

The Breast Cancer Prevention Program,

a

that I hated writing or being associated with, although I

suppose

it

provided good information. However,

when used

improperly, as they have been by American and European ranchers,

estrogen

some hormones

—can cause cancer

— such

that

contain

as well as ovarian cysts

and pre-

as

those

mature sexual development, according to medical experts.

Over the menarche

last

at earlier

centuries,

several

and eadier ages.

The

girls

have

average age has gone

from around eighteen to twelve and younger. This gerous trend.

It

are hard pressed to find clues.

is

a

dan-

opens the "estrogen window" and extends the

most cancer-susceptible portion of a woman's

many

reached

One

Researchers

one good answer. There seem to be

of these

our American young

life.

is

girls

called overnutrition, overloading

with loads of pork and corn and

129

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

other inflammatory foods that also put the body into

Our problem

endocrine overdrive. nations.

We

are not under- but overfed.

Another reason This cause

the opposite of other

is

is

is

the use of growth-stimulating hormones.

generally dismissed by most experts because

it

has been a difficult theory to prove since these are somewhat natural estrogens and difficult to differentiate in the urine especially since almost every meat-eating

woman in America is

regularly exposed to added hormones. But scientists have

found another clue in the emergence of the xenoestrogens, that

is,

feminizing chemicals that flake off from plastic can hn-

ings and leach into foods tics.

from

and other unsafe

bottles

plas-

Researchers have found plenty of disturbing evidence

linking xenoestrogens to increased risk of cancer. It that added

them and

how to

hormones

testing for

is

likely

also play a role, although differentiating

them

in tissues

is

no easy

—and then

task

divide your subjects since everybody has been exposed.

Meanwhile, the American consumer has good reason to be concerned about the prohfic use of hormones in raising beef.

The

of

sale

DES

was outlawed

in July 1979, but

documents indicate that forty-nine drug sold

DES

after the ban.

That

feedlots in twenty states.

implanted with illegally

DES

DES

distributors illegally

was eventually used in

3

18

A total of 427,275 cattle were illegally

after the deadline.

implanted with

government

DES

Another 245,000 were

and already had been slaugh-

tered before their carcasses could be recovered.

In 1983,

DES

was

illegally

used again by American cattle

ranchers, this time in nearly fifteen hundred veal calves five different

Academy

farms in upstate

New York. And,

as the

from

National

of Sciences has clearly stated, because of poorly

designed government-monitoring programs for hormones,

nobody knows today the extent to which abuse of hormones occurs among American livestock ranchers. Historic evidence 130

David Steinman

clearly points to the fact that

American ranchers have no

problem flouting the regulations that mones. After

all,

Other questionably

safe drugs

They

badox,

of which are potential

thirty

have been regularly used in

include dimetridazole, ipronidazole, and car-

meat and

residues in

of hor-

who's there to catch them?

livestock. all

restrict the use

human

Up

poultry.

thousand animal drugs

to

carcinogens that leave

90 percent of the nearly

now

in lise

have not been

approved by the government.

The

beef industry, of course, says there

is

no health

But why, then, did the Puerto Rican children's

when they were

regress

threat.

symptoms

taken off chicken and milk? If estro-

genic hormones are not directly carcinogenic at low levels,

why was DES banned?

My position on the use of hormones runs counter to that of the beef industry.

One

theory on the link between estrogen

and the onset of cancer

asserts that the body's

endogenous

production of estrogen and the exogenous intake of estrogenic substances

work together upon

promote or

directly cause cancer. Therefore, chronic elevation

of estrogenic

normal,

estrogenic-sensitive tissues and

may

activity,

above that which would be considered

human body

well put the

linked cancer. In

women,

at risk for estrogen-

cervical or uterine cancer could be

the end result of ingesting

meat from

livestock treated with

hormones. Since chemical poisons often leave no link with synthetic

hormones

in beef will never be

traces, the

known. The

contribution of estrogen from implanted beef to our diets appear

trivial,

may

but our bodies are extremely responsive to

minuscule doses of hormones. In a perfect world, perhaps with

proper use, estrogenic hormones could be perfect world, and even

little

residues can

endocrine systems.

The

regard for the

sanctioned use of

safe,

safe.

But

this

is

no

muck up women's

livestock industry has

shown

little

hormone implants and 131

— Diet for a Poisoned Planet

continues to use these drugs, and most people don't care, just us.

Sometimes the government doesn't even

care, at least

not

enough, and there have been abuses of safe food regulations.

That

is

point, to

why

there

is

no reason, from the consumer view-

add any more of

a

burden to our bodies, especially

with regard to some hormones

—particularly

which are already suspected of being

a natural

estrogen

cancer burden

on the body. Another objection consumers have to hormones and other chemicals such as antibiotics

is

that their use

is

symptomatic of

The meat comes from animals that have spent

the factory farm mentality of American ranching.

many people

eat today

their entire lives

crowded like prisoners in cells, implanted with

hormones, and fed

The

antibiotics.

This

raising of veal calves as

isn't

it is

the America

we want.

practiced today

is

the

most extreme example of factory farm techniques. In order

to

get especially pale, tender meat, veal farmers raise the calves

under extraordinary conditions that produce extensive toxic contamination.

More

than

1

million calves are raised for veal annually in

the United States,

many

of them in the Midwest, California,

and Pennsylvania. Although the calves are slaughtered

months of age, mortality

at four

from 10

rates before slaughter range

percent to as high as 30 percent. Milk- fed calves slaughtered for veal are kept chained in tiny stalls about twenty-two inches

wide

—too small

for the calves even to turn

around

in.

To

pre-

vent muscle development and speed weight gain, the calves are allowed absolutely no exercise. Chained in tiny crates, veal calves cannot

groom

themselves, stretch their legs, or

lie

down

in a natural position.

The light meat sold as "premium" or "milk-fed" veal is from calves that have been made anemic by withholding iron. The veal industry may claim their calves are given adequate iron. 132

David Steinman

But watch what they do, not what they say. And what they do

is

spend their money on water-conditioning systems meant to

remove every

from the water

trace of naturally occurring iron

given to their veal calves.

One

advertisement for a water con-

ditioning system for veal calf ranching specifically admonishes

the industry: "Attention veal farmers!

water supply will hurt you on

It's

a fact.

money day at the

Veal calves are kept in total darkness to

Iron in your

market."

make them

less

Serious leg injuries are caused by the complete lack of

restless.

straw covering the wood-slatted floors. Respiratory and intestinal diseases

run rampant among veal

calves, so

they are given

frequent doses of antibiotics and sulfa drugs. Veal calves are

denied virtually

all

solid food

water. In a futile attempt to

and even pure, plain drinking

quench

their thirst, calves drink

milky feed that causes them to gain weight quickly.

The

calves

then suffer chronic diarrhea from being fed a liquid diet of

growth stimulators,

antibiotics,

powdered skim milk, and mold

inhibitors.

These conditions dard. In

are considered simply the industry stan-

Sonoma County,

CaHfornia, veal rancher Michael

Cambra, of Santa Rosa, was found

guilty in 1987 of animal

cruelty and neglect after law enforcement authorities discov-

ered 159 calves under his care chained in small crates inside a stifling

their

hot barn.

More

than ninety other calves were dead,

decomposing bodies

paltry

$250

ranching

The

is

—because

piled outside.

Cambra was

fined a

he was simply doing his job. Veal

a high-mortality profession

—for the

calves!

conditions required for the production of milk- fed veal

promote the widespread use of can help keep sickly animals

By depriving veal

antibiotics

alive

and

sulfa

drugs that

long enough to be slaughtered.

calves of their mothers' milk, fresh

air,

exercise,

adequate nutrition, and proper veterinary care, veal farmers create a breeding

ground

for

coundess infectious diseases.

133

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

I

undertook an extensive review of government reports on

the antibiotic and sulfa drug residues in veal calves.

My review

indicates that an array of drugs do, in fact, contaminate veal raised

on factory farms.

Liver, kidney,

and muscle

tissues

were

tainted with a variety of antibiotics and sulfa drugs: peniciUin,

streptomycin, tetracycline, neomycin, oxytetracycline, gen-

tamycin, sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole, and sulfaquinoxaline.

Residues of sulfamethazine

were

veal calves

limit allowed

were

residues.

high as

a possible

5 parts

USDA survey,

in clear violation of

That

standards.

human carcinogen

—

in

per miUion, the absolute

by the government.

In one recent ples

as

—

And

twenty of 881 calf tissue sam-

government standards

rate of 2.3 percent

that

is

just

is

quite high

drug

for

by regulatory

what we know.

Dr. Kenneth StoUer, of the Department of Pediatrics at

UCLA

Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Hospital,

points out that calves raised humanely, in a healthy environ-

ment with proper

nutrition and exercise, do not need con-

tinual doses of antibiotics

and other drugs.

It's

that simple.

Unfortimatley, inhumane treatment of veal calves continues even today,

when we should be

living in

more

enlight-

ened times.

We

can learn from other nations' actions. Sweden passed

an animal

of rights in 1988, the world's most sweeping,

bill

stringent set of protection laws pertaining to farm animals. "Cattle, pigs,

and chickens are being freed from the

tions of intensive or factory-farming methods, in

restric-

which

ani-

mals are kept in crowded conditions and antibiotics and

hormones Times. In

often administered," reports the

Sweden

cattle

must now be allowed

pigs

no longer may be confined and

pigs

must be allowed

cattle

134

are

to

tied

New

York

to graze,

and

down. In addition,

bed and feed in separate

and pigs must have access to straw and

places.

Both

litter.

The

David Steinman

Swedish legislation stipulates that chickens be given the opportunity to

roam and peck

confined

all

pastures.

The

hormones

for grub

and that they not be kept

their lives in cages. Veal calves

is

may roam

their

use of subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics and

strictly forbidden.

We Americans who eat flesh and dairy foods must wake up to institutionalized cruelty to animals

on the factory farm,

for

we awaken, we as a nation will lose a precious portion of our own humanity. Perhaps we cannot do away with the

unless

factory farm entirely. But

if

enough of us use our consumer

by buying free-range animal foods, we can cer-

dollars to vote

tainly alleviate the suffering of

some farm

animals. That's

because free-range animals are given the opportunity to graze in pastures or

move about

or penned their entire

the farmyard.

They

aren't

cooped

lives.

Contamination by salmonella

bacteria, a

poisoning in this country,

another result of factory farm

methods.

Many experts

favorite cuts with

is

contend that the contamination of our

microorganisms such

more immediate concern than from

industrial pollution

Each year

at least

1

and

and perhaps

annually.

Some

through

at least

people is,

may not

and so they

monellosis

is

as

as salmonella

is

the long-term threat of cancer

or 2 percent of the American popula-

many

as

means there

are at least 2 mil-

4 million cases of salmonellosis

experts believe

many more Americans go

one case of food poisoning

a year.

Healthy

recognize a bout of salmonellosis for what

will

of

pesticides.

tion suffers salmonellosis; that lion

major cause of food

not report

shrugged off

as

it

it

to a doctor. Often mild sal-

an upset stomach or

flu

with

cramps and diarrhea.

No wonder many scientists assert that salmonellosis poses a health problem of large proportions in the United States.

With 135

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

more than

forty thousand reported cases (the vast majority of

cases are never reported)

and

five

hundred deaths annually,

salmonella contamination of our meat and poultry significant problem.

And

is,

indeed, a

the problem just keeps growing. In

the early 1940s only about four in a hundred thousand persons suffered

from non typhoid salmonellosis, the kind of salmonel-

losis that often results

from eating the contaminated

warm-blooded animals. By 1983, nearly five times.

that

number had

flesh of

increased

Today twenty out of a hundred thousand per-

sons will be afflicted by nontyphoid salmonellosis, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control. figure includes only reported cases. poll.

Ask your own

something they

ate.

tell

you

that they have.

This increase in animal-related salmonellosis rise

that

friends if they've gotten sick this year as a

Most will Food poisoning is very common.

result of

And

You can conduct your own

parallels the

of the factory farm, increased antibiotic use in livestock

ranching, and increasingly filthy slaughterhouse conditions.

As factory farming methods have become more commonplace, the bacteria in our nation's food have

The

become

far

more

deadly.

result of widespread use of antibiotic medications in live-

stock feed has been the inadvertent breeding of antibioticresistant salmonella.

These

also they are rendering

In one cattie,

FDA

bacteria are not only deadly, but

our antibiotics

study, salmonella

useless.

from healthy chickens, beef

and swine from 1978 to 1981 were analyzed to see what

percent were resistant to antimicrobial drugs. follows: 61 percent of salmonella

sulfadiazine; 56 percent

were

The results were as

were found to be

resistant to

resistant to streptomycin; 33

percent were resistant to tetracycline; 5 percent were resistant to kanamycin and carbenicilUn; and

3

percent were resistant to

ampicilhn.

Ten salmonella serotypes account 136

for

more than 70 percent

David Steinman

of the food poisoning cases reported in the United States annually.

The most common

Salmonella typhimurium. Fif-

is

teen percent of various isolates of this family are antimicrobial drugs.

to

Overall,

24 percent

serotypes are resistant to antimicrobials.

many as two hundred

It is

now resistant of common

estimated that as

salmonella-linked deaths annually result

from the use of subtherapeutic

antibiotics in animal feeds.

For decades, chloramphenicol has been the drug of choice for

treating

complications associated with salmonellosis.

However, throughout the mid-1980s, the drug was widely used on cattle and hogs.

Its

have been the reason why,

widespread use could very well

when one thousand persons were

infected with Salmonella newport in California in 1985, this strain

was

resistant to chloramphenicol.

Exposure to chlo-

ramphenicol has also been associated with the onset of

a rare

form of human bone marrow

which

is

almost always It

is

fatal.

now known

also

disease, aplastic anemia,

strains are passed

that antibiotic-resistant bacterial

from animals

to

A

humans.

recent

FDA

study of food poisoning in the Seattle area suggests that poultry

is

a

major path by which resistant bacteria reach

FDA

humans. The

reports, for example, that 22 percent of

chicken and turkey samples from local Seattle markets showed

Campylobacter bacteria contamination, and about one-third of these samples contained antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Studies

suggest that the antimicrobial drugs to which food animals are

exposed eventually lead to the appearance and persistence of resistant strains in

humans; only

a small

proportion of resistant

salmonella outbreaks can be attributed to transmission from

other humans.

Although food poisoning

most people, elderly and

infants

is

not

a

very serious

under two years are

immune-weakened

persons.

at

high

Death

illness for risk, as are

results for

one

137

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

in every

one thousand persons infected by salmonella, and

usually individuals at the extremes of age

who

it is

die.

Salmonellosis begins as diarrhea and abdominal cramps

one to three days

after eating

pect the meal you just

ate.

contaminated food.

Only in

dose of salmonellae be so large as to cause after

your meal. For healthy

Do

not sus-

rare cases will the infecting illness

immediately

adults, the episode will last

one

day to one week. Unfortunately the bacterial contamination problem of our food supply

is

The number of chickens may number as few as 3 or 4

not likely to improve.

in a typical flock with salmonella

percent, but as a result of slaughterhouse conditions during

the processing of the animals, salmonella and other bacterial

contamination could spread to as

many

as

38 percent of the

carcasses.

Your best protection against

bacterial infections

the shopping and cooking tips that follow the

is

to

heed

Meat and

Poultry Survival Guide in this chapter.

There

are other reasons to cut

down on animal

cially beef. Cattle raising takes a

and

toll

on our land

contributing substantially to the desertification of the

is

West. Dairy cows drink day,

tremendous

foods, espe-

as

and they compact the

becomes so hard that the

much soil

as fifty gallons

of water a

on which they graze

soil's ability

until

it

to absorb rainfall

is

impaired. In South America the equatorial rain forests are

being destroyed

at a

pasture for cattle,

phenomenal

much

rate to provide

temporary

of it to provide beef for export to the

United States and Europe. This destruction of the rain forests

is

one of the great ecological threats to our

—and our rain

planet

amount of beef we 138

forests

eat.

—

future. All

we can help save our by cutting way down on the

because of our appetite for meat! So

David Steinman

Meat and Poultry

The

Guide

Survival

following analyses of popular cuts of meat and poultry are

based, for the

which

most

thirty-six

on the

part,

FDA

Total Diet Study in

samples of each food were tested. So there can

be no overestimation of the chemical residue concentrations.

These

are very accurate findings. Quite possibly, they are

understated.

The

Total Diet Study did not take into account the pres-

ence of hormones and antibiotics. Since these chemicals are

commonly used on

factory farms, there

a slightly increased

concentration of hormones will be present

in

some meats. Poultry

is

is

a

good chance

that

not given hormones, except capons.

You

should, however, expect the presence of antibiotics or

sulfa

drugs in some cuts of beef, veal, pork, and poultry.

only

way you can be

mones,

certain these foods

antibiotics, or sulfa

drugs

is if

The

do not contain hor-

they are certified organic

(fed organically grown grains) or certified to have been raised hormone or chemical free. Such groups include crop growing organizations such as the International Organic Crop Improvement Association and the Oregon Tilth, both of

which

also certify livestock practices.

program with

a special

a

The government also has

few select ranchers to ensure that

they take extra precautions to prevent traces of antibiotic or

hormone

residues

in

their

products.

Sources of certified

organic as well as hormone- and chemical-free meats and poultry are listed in the Personal Action Guide.

As before,

I've

used the number of pesticide residues as the

most accurate indicator of a

food's relative safety or danger. In

some

number of

foods, however, the

while the concentration of each residue small

residue is

may be high

unusually low, or a

number of residues may have unusually high concentra-

tions. In

account

such cases I've taken the concentration level into

when

assigning the food to the green, yellow, or red 139

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

light food group,

and

have mentioned the variation in the

I

discussion of the food.

Green

Light

Green Hght meats and poultry have the lowest ration, present the smallest cancer risk,

pesticide satu-

and are the richest

source of nutrients while being lowest in cholesterol and saturated

Eat these cuts of meat and poultry

fat.

like,

but remember that animal food

eggs,

and dairy products

you

as often as

—meat,

poultry, fish,

—should make up not more than one-

third of your total diet.

Chicken

(fried, breast, leg,

Over

icans eat chicken often.

and

thigh,

homemade), Amer-

of the population eats

a third

chicken at least once every three days, and one person in teen eats

it

fif-

Oven-roasted chicken

at least twice in three days.

had seven different pesticide or industrial chemical residues.

The

pesticides detected

lindane,

most frequently were

PCBs, toluene, and

DDE,

dieldrin,

xylene.

Chickens (except for capons) are not raised with hor-

mones, and major brands, including Holly Farms and Foster Farms, are raised without antibiotics.

one of the greatest sources of

To lower your

and always remove the is.

One

dieldrin

is

risk for oven-roasted chicken.

pesticide exposure

eat only the white meat,

The pesticide

which

when

eating roast chicken, fatty

is less

skin, since that's

than dark meat,

where most of the

fat

three-ounce serving of oven-roasted chicken without

skin contains only 0.9 grams of saturated fat and 73 mil-

ligrams of cholesterol.

Gafue.

Many game

foods are quite pure. Buffalo meat

be sHghtly contaminated with residues of chlordane and but

it is

free of the antibiotics

raising beef.

Duck,

rabbit,

the levels were low

140

and

sulfa

and goose

enough

all

may

DDT,

drugs routinely used in

had some residues, but

to be considered safe. AlHgator

David Steinman

from some areas of Florida may contain high

me thylmercury.

Pork roast (baked). Oven-baked pork

was

roast

surpris-

many

ingly low in pesticides and other chemicals (although

people won't eat pork for religious reasons). residues representing eleven chemicals: a

DDE,

benzene, chloroform,

The

toluene.

was

of

levels

*

It

had twenty

benzene, butyl-

little

PCBs, and

heptachlor, lindane,

cancer risk as a result of pesticides in pork roast

relatively insignificant, except for the troubling presence of

high

levels

of PCBs, though found in only one of thirty-six sam-

ples.

One

three-ounce serving of pork rib roast, untrimmed,

contains 7.2 grams of saturated fat and 69 milligrams of choles-

The same

terol.

three-ounce serving, trimmed, contains 3.4

grams of saturated roast

is

safer than

fat

serve pork roast. It

Be

and 56 milligrams of cholesterol. Pork

ham, because is

not used to pre-

nitrates are

the safest cut of pork.

careful of pork, however, because of sulfa drugs. Sulfa

medication

is

commonly administered by hog

Turkey breast poultry

(roasted).

commonly

enteen pesticide dicloran,

Turkey

is

farmers.

the safest of all meat and

eaten. Roasted turkey breast

residues

representing

and other petrochemicals and

a

DDE,

benzene,

The

pesticides.

risk as a result of pesticides in turkey breast

though we make turkey

had only sev-

is

green light food,

cancer

negligible,

we

and

are nervous

about the presence of benzene, styrene, and toluene. Turkey white meat has fewer pesticide residues and

and saturated and

all

fat

poultry;

than dark meat. it

is

Remove

less cholesterol

the skin from turkey

the fattiest and most pesticide-laden

portion.

Three ounces of boneless of saturated

fat

roast turkey contains 1.6

and 45 milligrams of cholesterol.

Subway and seeking to be healthiest in eater, I would no doubt order turkey.

all

If I

ways and

grams

were

still

a

in

meat

141

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Yellow Light

With a few exceptions,

these yellow light cuts have about twice

the pesticide saturation of the green light group and about half the total pesticide saturation of the red light group.

These

foods should be eaten in moderation.

Beefsteak ticide

(loin,

pan-cooked). Beefsteak had fifty-one pes-

and industrial chemical residues in

thirty-six

samples

representing nine distinct pollutants and contaminants. While the total

number

isn't

high, in this case, beef proves itself a

prime source of prime cancer-causing

DDE (nineteen of thirty-six),

pesticides, including

dieldrin (ten of thirty-six), hep-

tachlor epoxide, and octachlor epoxide, not to mention the

ubiquitous industrial contaminant PCBs.

By trimming away

the fatty portions, you can significantly reduce your pesticide

A

exposure.

three-ounce serving, un trimmed, will have 4.8

grams of saturated

fat

and 8 1 milligrams of cholesterol; three

ounces of trimmed round steak

will contain 2.7

grams of satu-

rated fat and 75 milligrams of cholesterol.

may be contaminated with and hormone residues. I just don't know how even

Be warned antibiotics

that cuts of beef

the biggest beef lover can look a beef steak in the eye

and say you actually want to eat

anymore

that.

Beef stroganoff (homemade). Eighty-eight chemicals were found with chlorpyrifos,

DDE,

and malathion

as the

most

common.

Lamb

chops (pan-cooked). Although lamb chops had sev-

enty-six pesticide

and industrial chemical residues representing

—

some 15 different pesticide formulations a relatively high number most of the concentrations once were very, very low,

—

so I had classified this as a green-Hght food. However, the inter-

generational legacy of these old-line bad chemicals continues to build

up in the food

supply,

and the

levels

can be high enough to raise concern. 142

of some such as

PCBs

The frequency with which

David Steinman

DDE showed (thirty-four of thrity-six samples) cern. Pesticides

is

also of con-

and industrial chemicals included chloroform,

DDE,

dieldrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, octachlor,

styrene

TDE,

will help.

and toluene. Trimming the

One two-ounce lamb

grams of saturated

fat

fat

from your chops

chop, un trimmed, contains 7.3

and 78 miUigrams of cholesterol.

A lean

two-ounce broiled lamb chop contains 2.6 grams of saturated fat

and 60 miUigrams of cholesterol.

Pork chops (pan-cooked),

A

well-trimmed pork chop

surprisingly nontoxic food, so long as

chops pan-fried in

fat

you

are into pork.

is

a

Pork

had twenty-nine pesticide residues rep-

resenting fifteen pesticide and industrial chemical residues and

The pesticides found most frequently were DDE, DDT, and HCB. Detected less frequently (at very low con-

metabolites.

centrations)

were chlordane,

dane, nonachlor, PCBs, a result

TDE,

and toluene.

The

of the pesticide residues in pork chops

Trim as much fat untrimmed three-ounce tains 9.8 terol.

dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, lin-

possible

as

insignificant.

from your chops. An

serving of pan-fried pork chops con-

grams of saturated

The same

is

cancer risk as

serving,

fat

and 92 milligrams of choles-

trimmed, contains

3.7

grams of

saturated fat and 72 miUigrams of cholesterol.

Be warned

that cuts of pork

may be contaminated with

sul-

famethazine. If you're allergic to sulfa drugs, you might want to pass

on chemical pork.

Salisbury steak with gravy, potatoes,

and

vegetables

(frozen mealy heated). One-hundred-fifteen chemicals were

found with chlorpropham (from the potatoes),

DDE and diel-

drin (from the beef), and endosulfan and malathion (from the

mixed vegetables) most commonly found. Turkey with gravy, dressing, potatoes, and vegetable (frozen meal, heated). Seventy-five chemicals were found with

chlorpropham (from the potatoes) most commonly detected. 143

5

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Red

Light

You should

They

eat these foods very seldom.

are saturated

with high concentrations of powerful cancer-causing pesticides,

and

and they are very

likely to contain residues of antibiotics

sulfa medications. If you are

exposures,

Bacon that

you should

strike

(porky pan-cooked).

concerned with reducing toxic

them completely from your

diet.

The FDA Total Diet Study found

pan-cooked bacon had 124 different

pesticide, industrial

residues and their metabolites representing eighteen different

formulations.

pesticide

and industrial chemicals

Pesticides

detected most frequendy were

styrene, toluene,

were

HCB,

chloroethylene (dry-cleaning

Pork bacon cuts of

is

DDE,

ethyl benzene,

and xylene. Pesticides detected

dichlorobenzene,

frequently

less

TDE,

nonachlor,

tetra-

and trichloroethylene.

fluid),

cured with cancer-causing

bacon are

1,2-4-

1,1,1-trichloroethane,

trimethylbenzene, benzene, chloroform,

and some

nitrites,

also likely to contain high levels of cancer-

causing sulfamethazine and other sulfa drugs. In addition, three slices of bacon had 3.3 grams of saturated fat and 16 mil-

know you

ligrams of cholesterol.

I

bacon

most likely, based on

a better choice,

is

like

it.

So do all

I.

Turkey

other samples

of turkey in the Total Diet Study, which were uniformly low in pesticide

and industrial chemical contamination.

one of the natural food markets, you without

nitrite that

when

comes

it

might not be

as

will find

to

bacon cured is

green

to being your best choice. five

Americans

beef chuck roast at least once every three days.

and chuck

you go

pink but certainly

Beef chuck roast (baked). About one in

amount eaten

If

daily

is

almost two ounces. Based on

1

million persons, or as

this

be

as

many

as

roast's pesticide content, there will

excess cancers in

The

eats

average

average

many as

1

684 excess

cancers in our lifetime, simply as a result of average American

consumption of pesticides 144

in roast

beef

David Steinman

The most dangerous and

pesticide dieldrin

FDA

comers to the

a

residues in beef chuck roast are the

whole host of petrochemical new-

Total Diet Study, including benzene

(twenty of thirty-six); dichlorobenzene, ethyl benzene, styrene,

numbers 10 and 22 of

and toluene

(in

respectively).

The FDA

thirty-six samples,

Total Diet Study showed that beef

chuck roast had 115 pesticide and industrial chemical residues

some sixteen distinct chemicals. Chemicals of warming were detected most frequently and include

representing global

1,1,1-trichloroethane, benzene, chloroform, dichlorobenzene, ethyl benzene,

PCBs,

xylene. Pesticides

styrene, toluene, trichloroethylene,

were detected

less

gerous nonetheless and include epixide,

and

HCB. One

frequently but were dan-

DDE,

dieldrin, heptahclor

three-ounce serving of un trimmed

chuck roast contains 10.8 grams of saturated ligrams of cholesterol. 3.9

grams of saturated

Trimming

fat

and

The same fat

fat

and 87 mil-

serving, trimmed, contains

and 66 milligrams of cholesterol.

from your chuck roast

will significantly

reduce

pesticide exposure.

Bologna

(sliced).

Some American

children are

given

bologna sandwiches nearly every day for lunch by parents probably believe that this luncheon meat healthful. If only they

knew

wholesome and

is

the truth. Bologna

is

obscenely

saturated with pesticides, as are other high-fat cold cuts.

bologna samples analyzed in the

FDA Total

who

The

Diet Study con-

tained 136 different industrial pollutant and pesticide residues

representing twenty-three distinct pesticides or industrial

chemical formulations and metabolites. That means nearly four industrial chemical and pesticide residues were detected in each sample. Benzene, chloroform,

styrene,

tetrachloroethylene,

DDE,

trichloroethylene,

were detected most frequendy. Pesticides and icals

ethyl benzene,

and xylene

industrial

chem-

such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,2-4-trimethylbenzene,

145

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

butylbenzene, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, dieldrin,

Two

heptahclor, and lindane were found less often.

bologna

will

cholesterol.

have 6.1 grams of saturated

fat

and

31

Concerned parents should not give

bologna on a regular

basis.

There simply

is

too

slices

of

milligrams of their children

much

pesticide

contamination. If you do, be sure to purchase the least fatty

brands of chicken or turkey bologna. I'd stay away from pork/beef bologna.

It's

Chicken nuggets

nasty business,

no matter how you slice

Some 184

(fast-food).

it.

chemicals were

found. Benzene, chlorpyrifos, ethyl benzene, toluene, and

xylene were

among the most frequent. came with beans (homemade). One hundred-

Chili con

nine chemicals were found with

DDE

one of the most

as

common. Frankfurters (beef boiled). Beef frankfurters and beef and

pork frankfurters had some 207 different pesticide and industrial

chemical residues representing some twenty-seven

dif-

That means

that

ferent distinct formulations and metabolites.

each sample in the

FDA study and

every bite of your ballpark

frank has nearly 6 pesticide and industrial chemical residues.

This

is

a

very dangerous food for consumers. Pesticides and

industrial chemicals detected

chloroform,

DDE,

dieldrin,

most frequently were benzene,

HCB,

styrene, tetrachlorooeth-

ylene, toluene, tirchloroethylene, and xylene.

million Americans as

who

many as 24 excess

the early data.

Among

the 43

regularly eat hot dogs, there could be

cancers in

1

million persons, according to

That means we should expect

as

many

as 1,032

persons alive today to develop cancer just from eating pesticides in hot dogs every three days.

That

is

too high a

risk. If

the producers of hot dogs truly cared about the public, they

would at

tell

their products

what concentrations. But because the government

forcing

146

consumers what pesticides are in

them

is

and not

to provide this information, millions of Americans

David Steinman

are playing cancer roulette every time they eat a hot dog.

The

actual risk could well be higher, because frankfurters are often

preserved with in the

nitrites,

which form cancer-causing chemicals

human body. I advise you to keep your consumption of way down. Almost all other foods are much safer.

frankfurters

One

frankfurter has 4.8 grams of saturated fat and 23 mil-

hgrams of cholesterol. Stay away! (Let at a baseball

game and you want

summer, you might

me

add

this: if

you

are

to eat baseball food this

go ahead.)

as well

Green peppers stuffed with beefand rice (homemade). Talk about

a lethal

But look

combination,

at all the

who

doesn't love stuffed peppers?

chemical baggage stemming from both

green peppers and the fatty beef. chemicals were found with

DDE,

One hundred

forty-seven

endosulfan, and permethrin

most frequently detected.

Ground is

beef.

Ground beef has

a very

high

fat

content and

saturated with pesticides. It will ground your Hfe into toxic

rubbles of bubbling fried poison. (But, then again, the pirate

songwriter airman sailor

Jimmy

Buffet says that one said

cheeseburger might just be "paradise," and nobody argues with the

mango man.)

industrial chemical

In the

FDA

Total Diet Study, 180

and pesticide residues were detected repre-

senting twenty-three distinct chemicals.

Bad guys detected

in

DDE, hepHCB, styrene, toluene, and xylene. I think what me most distinctly about ground beef is how the chem-

at least

one-fourth of the samples were benzene,

tachlor, strikes ical

complexion has changed from oldtime gangster chemicals

like

BHC, DDT,

dieldrin, heptachlor,

more modern petrochemicals

HCB,

and octachlor to

that are even potentially

more

physiologically disfiguring. Petrochemicals detected less fre-

quendy included

1,11 ,-trichloroethane,

1

,2 ,4-trimethylbenzene,

chloroform, ethyl benzene, tetrachloroethylene, and trichloroethylene. It

is

clear

on

this revisit to this insane land

of the

147

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

naked lunch that greenhouse chemicals are out of hand and contaminating the food supply in greater quantities and with greater frequency than

most people including experts could

someone has

ever have imagined (but then unthinkable).

Nobody thought

warming would

to think the

that the chemicals of global

modern environment our very ground beef would become a repository of the so permeate our

sons of the chemical onslaught that

is

literally

that

poi-

shaping

humankind.

The

average ground beef-eating American eats nearly two daily. The cancer risk is relatively sigOne regular three-ounce patty of ground beef has 6.9

ounces of ground beef nificant.

grams of saturated

There ground

and 76 milligrams of cholesterol.

fat

are sources of very pure, virtually pesticide-free

beef. See the Personal Action

Guide

in this book,

and

buy your beef from these sources.

Hafn

(baked).

Cured ham had only ten

residues repre-

senting six formulations or metabolites. Pesticides and industrial

chemicals

detected

is

a

contamination alone,

is

low

ham,

ration; the cancer risk for eating

with

DDE,

most frequently were

permethrin, and toluene. This

insignificant.

level

of pesticide satu-

as a result

of pesticide

However, ham

nitrites to preserve the reddish color

is

cured

of the meat and to

prevent botulism, and nitrites form dangerous cancer-causing nitrosamines in the cides

and

nitrites

human

makes

The combination of pestired light food. The use of

body.

this a

back to ancient China and India;

nitrates

and

became

a firmly established practice in

nitrites dates

Middle Ages. There

is

it

Europe during the

strong evidence that excess exposure to

these chemicals in food constitutes a significant cancer threat.

In southern China, where they are found in high concentra-

148

common;

tions in salted fish, nasopharyngeal cancer

is

very

some

is

this family

experts believe the causative agent

of

David Steinman

Because vitamin

chemicals.

nitrosamines,

it

is

C

blocks the formation of

wise to eat vitamin C-rich foods

when

eating meats cured with nitrites.

Be sure to trim the fat from ham. A three-ounce portion of un trimmed ham has 6.4 grams of saturated fat and 79 milligrams of cholesterol. The same portion, trimmed, has only 2.7

grams of saturated

fat

and 68 milHgrams of cholesterol. See

the shopping tips that follow for important safety information

concerning Chernobyl cesium radiation in hams imported

from Europe.

Ham

(luncheon meat,

sliced).

Although having only four

chemicals, luncheon meats are almost always preserved with

form cancer-causing nitrosamines

nitrites that

gut.

These

in the

human

are linked with gastric cancer. If you're .going to eat

luncheon meats, be sure to seek those without

nitrites.

Hamburgers (quarter-pounder on bun, fast food). When was the

last

time a fast-food corporation warned you that the

your burger could be harmful to your health?

pesticides in

When was pers have

the

known

in cholesterol

lems.

first

time?

Was

for years that these red light foods are high

and saturated

The FDA

there ever a time? Smart shop-

fat.

But those

aren't the only prob-

Total Diet Study found that fast-food

ham-

burgers had 285 different residues, representing thirty- two different pesticide formulations.

That means each burger con-

tained roughly seven pesticide residues.

The

chemicals

detected most frequently were benzene, chlorpyrifos, dieldrin,

endosulfan heptachlor,

HCB,

styrene, toluene, trichloroethylene,

Liver

(beef, fried).

The

DDE,

lindane, malathion,

and xylene.

FDA Total

Diet Study revealed that

pan-fried beef and calf liver had thirty-nine different residues

representing

some

ten contaminants (not counting antibiotics

and other medications). Dieldrin was

in fourteen of thirty-six

samples. Less frequendy detected were 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

149

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

chloroform,

DDE,

endosulfan, ethyl benzene, heptachlor,

toluene, and xylene. Based

on

historic combination, eating

an

average of about 1.5 ounces of liver daily over a lifetime could cause as

many

as nine excess cancers in a

miUion persons.

Liver and other organ meats such as kidneys tend to accu-

mulate toxic metals and antibiotics.

My review of USDA toxic

chemical monitoring data for cuts of beef showed that

many

cuts of liver tended to be tainted with residues of antibiotics

such as streptomycin, tetracycline, and oxytetracycline. In addition, extremely high resides of sulfamethazine, above five parts per million,

were found

in liver

and kidney cuts.

of the 1986 monitoring data specifically for calf

A review

liver also

revealed that residues of antibiotics were detected in

organ

cuts. Antibiotics

found in the kidneys or

livers

many

of calves

included penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, neomycin, oxytetracycline,

and gentamycin. The

sulfa

drugs sulfamethazine,

sulfadimethoxine, sulfaquinoxaline, and sulfathiazole also

were found

Food

the

in kidney

and

liver tissues.

More

Safety Inspection Service of the

problem of

antibiotic

and

sulfa

recent data from

USDA

drug residues

shows the

persists.

One

three-ounce serving of fried beef or calf liver contains 2.5

grams of saturated

fat

and 410 milligrams of cholesterol.

Meatloaf (hoTnemade). This American chemicals with five.

DDE in every sample

Benzene was

favorite

had 186

and dieldrin in twenty-

in fourteen, styrene twelve,

and toluene sev-

enteen samples.

Pork sausage (pan-cooked). The revealed that pork sausage had

FDA

some 113

Total Diet Study

residues in thirty-six

samples representing eighteen distinct chemicals. That means the study found that each sample had about three different toxic chemicals. Pesticides detected in at least one-fourth of

DDE, DDT, and a combination of dieldrin, HCB, lindane, octachlor, phosalone, styrene.

the samples were

heptachlor,

150

David Steinman

TDE,

toluene, and xylene.

The

toxic chemicals.

ularly

Pork

—

cancers in a million persons.

many as eight excess number actually could

at least as

And that may also

be higher because pork sausage residues of sulfamethazine.

loaded with urated

repository of these

cancer risk from eating pork sausage reg-

relatively significant

is

fat is a

contain nitrites and

Each one-ounce pork sausage

milligrams of cholesterol and

1 1

1

.4

is

grams of sat-

fat.

Salami. Salami

loaded with pesticides. (Whether

is

The FDA

kosher or nonkosher makes no difference.)

Diet Study revealed that

this

The whole

at

Total

luncheon meat had some 141

tinct chemicals. Again, this shift in the seismic

our biology shouts out

it is

dis-

underworld of

me: chemicals of global warming.

matrix of the contamination has shifted away from

almost purely findings of pesticides to more and more of the basic petrochemicals linked with global

be seen once again with salami and

warming, and

its

this

contingent of petro-

chemicals showing up so often, especially compared with first trip

down

this fine

during

can

my

my first research period for Diet

for a Poisoned Planet.

You have benzene

in ten of thirty-six samples, along with

styrene (twelve), toluene (twenty- four), and xylene (nineteen) Pesticides found

were not

DDE

insignificant, looking at a

combina-

tion of

BHC,

Among

average salami-eating Americans (who eat slightly

than one ounce

(twenty-four of thirty-six), and dieldrin.

daily), there will

be as

cancers in one million persons.

Two

grams of saturated Sirloin ^eak. sirloin

fat

many as slices

less

thirty-one excess

of salami have 4.6

and 37 miUigrams of cholesterol.

The FDA

Total Diet Study found that beef

and loin steak had forty-nine pesticide residues repre-

senting nine different pesticide formulations. drin, heptachlor,

HCB,

BHC, DDT,

and octachlor were detected

diel-

in at least

one-fourth of the samples. Less frequently detected pesticides

151

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

included diazinon, malathion, and penta. Although the

number of pesticide

residues detected was relatively moderate,

the concentrations at which they were found were significantly elevated.

Consumers can

Whereas

a

all

visible

fat

from

steak.

three-ounce serving of untrimmed sirloin has 6.4

grams of saturated

same

significantly lower their ingestion of

simply by trimming

pesticides

fat

and 77 milligrams of cholesterol, the

serving, trimmed, contains 2.6

grams of saturated

fat

and

64 milligrams of cholesterol.* Veal cutlet (pan-cooked). Although the apparent cancer risk as a result

of ingesting pesticides in veal

must be placed antibiotic

tions

and

in the red light

sulfa

The FDA Total

industrial chemicals.

DDE

its

extensive

raised.

Diet Study showed that breaded and pan-

had only nine

industrial pollutant

cide residues representing seven

included

relatively small, veal

drug residues and the nightmarish condi-

under which most veal calves are

fried veal cutlets

is

group because of

The

and

pesti-

different pesticides

pesticides detected

and

most frequently

and lindane. Industrial chemicals and

pesti-

cides detected less frequently included malathion, permethrin,

and PCBs.

The industrial pollutants and many as six excess cancers

in as

pesticides in veal could result in a

milHon persons. That

probably a low estimate, since sulfamethazine residues

add to the cancer

risk.

One

is

may

three-ounce serving of braised or

broiled veal cutlet contains 4.1 grams of saturated fat and 109

milligrams of cholesterol.

When tends to be in stalls

buying

veal, avoid Hght-colored, pale veal,

more expensive and

indicates that calves

which

were raised

and intentionally kept anemic. Stay away from products

with labels that proclaim the veal was milk-fed, formula-fed,

premium, or fancy. In the Northeast, factory-farmed veal called nature veal.

152

Seek products simply called

is

veal\ these cuts

David Steinman

are the

same red color

as other

beef products; they are the least

expensive cuts. See the Personal Action Guide for sources of

from humanely

safe veal

Venison.

raised, free-range animals.

The major problem

with venison, which

people purchase by mail and from specialty meat shops,

European reindeer herds were severely nobyl nuclear in Finland

disaster. Particularly

by the Cher-

hard hit were reindeer herds

discussed in the Shopping Tips

is

section that follows. U.S. venison as it is

that

is

and Sweden, nations that export reindeer meat. The

impact of Chernobyl

fall

affected

many

is

relatively safe

—

just as

long

not a hunted buck beset with a spongiform wasting.

Shopping and Cooking Tips

One

of the best ways to reduce your exposure to toxic chemi-

cals is to

use meat and poultry as condiments and side dishes

main

instead of as the

dish.

When you

serve

chicken casserole, Chinese chicken salad, or

you cut down

pesticide exposure

homemade stew, pork chow mein,

by combining meat and

poultry with low-residue vegetables and grains.

Always buy the leanest cuts of meat, and choose the leanest

ground beef

available.

saturation include top

percent

fat),

Cuts of beef with the lowest pesticide

round

and top loin

(6 percent fat), eye of

round

(6

(9 percent fat).

Cuts of poultry with the

least pesticide saturation include

breast of chicken or turkey (3 percent fat) and drumsticks (5

Buy skinless chicken parts or skin the chicken yourself before you cook it. You can cut your chemical exposure by 50 percent or more by trimming the fatty portions percent

fat).

from

meat and

all

Do

poultry.

not be misled by deceptive labeling on meat and

poultry products claiming that the product

ernment regulations allow beef and poultry ural" as long as

it

is

"natural."

Gov-

to be labeled "nat-

has undergone minimal processing after

153

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

However, the "natural" claim does not preclude use

slaughter.

of antibiotics and hormones. states that

no

protection,

antibiotics or

Make

sure the label specifically

hormones were used. For your best

buy meat and poultry

fi-om producers

and

distrib-

utors listed in the Personal Action Guide later in this book.

They

provide the purest, safest meat and poultry in the

country, and their farm animals are raised humanely.

Buffalo meat

an excellent choice

is

if

you must avoid expo-

sure to antibiotics and hormones. Buffalo ranchers rarely use antibiotics or If

you

furters,

hormones.

insist

on buying ground meat, bologna, or frank-

buy those made with turkey or chicken, not beef or

pork. Seek brands without nitrites. Better yet, try tofu fi*ankfurters,

which are made of soybeans. These excellent hot dog

substitutes are available throughout the nation at health food

markets.

They

taste

wonderful. Children love them, and they

are far less toxic than hot dogs.

ground

beef.

They

taste

And

try tofu burgers instead of

wonderful.

Avoid charcoal-broiling meats until they are black. That goes for steaks, hamburgers, roasts, poultry, pork, and seafood. Slight grill

marks are

fine.

However, heavy charring of meats

produces high concentrations of benzopyrene, a carcinogen that belongs to a family of potent carcinogens

known

as

PAHs

(poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Unfortimately, benzopy-

rene

isn't

the only

PAH in grilled meats with which we need to

be concerned, although gens

among

the

it is

among

the most potent carcino-

PAHs; some eighteen

different

PAHs

have

thus far been found in our food. Although the data are not entirely conclusive, researchers believe that at least five

many as twelve of these eighteen PAHs cause PAHs form when fat from grilled meats falls down on or hot coals. The PAHs that are formed in this reaction

perhaps as cancer.

flames rise

154

and

with the smoke and permeate the meat.

David Steinman

There

ways to minimize formation of these cancer-

are

causing chemicals in grilled meats:

•

Be sure

buy the

to

leanest foods for grilling.

The

leanest

choices for grilling include chicken breast, lobster, scallops, yellowfin tuna, flounder, sole, grouper, monkfish, halibut,

and shrimp. Trim •

By broiling meat

all

meats well before cooking.

in the oven,

where heat comes from above,

you can eliminate cancer-causing PAHs; the

fat

does not

drip onto the flame. •

Before grilling, allow meat to completely defrost; otherwise

meat heavily chars while the inside takes

the outside of the

longer to cook. •

When

purchasing fuel for your

wood

charcoal to mesquite. Researchers have discovered

grill,

prefer regular hard-

that cooking with mesquite produces far far

•

PAHs

higher concentrations of

ular

hardwood

When

more numbers and

than cooking with reg-

charcoal.

higher than usual from the

grilling, raise the grill

charcoal and place the charcoal on one side of the barbecue

and the meat on the other

side so that the

meat

is

never

directly over the charcoal. •

If

you

that

like

smoke

smoky wood

flavoring, rather than trying to

flavoring

on your home

smoke products. Such products most PAHs in the •

condiment

allowing

its

in

prefer liquid

are filtered; tars, resins,

are removed. Supermarkets carry liquid

You might want tikal Grill,

grill,

burn

and

smoke

section.

to try a

Swedish innovation called the Ver-

which allows you fat to

to

barbecue meat without

drip into the flames. See the Personal

Action Guide for more information. •

When

dining out, prefer the

least fatty cuts;

ask that they

be well trimmed or skinned before cooking.

155

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

•

Although the formation of to barbecuing

and

grilling,

and pan frying meats

PAHs

you must be

(HAs), which are created

Of course,

all

careful

to prevent formation

of cancer-causing chemicals

substances in

appears limited primarily

known

when

the

when broiling

of another group

as heterocyclic

amino

amines

and other

acids

meats are burned. Use lower temperatures.

because of bacterial contamination, you should

not eat meat, poultry, or seafood raw. But do not overcook.

Another technique

for

reducing

broiling or frying, precook

meat

for thirty to ninety seconds

and

Many

supermarkets

sell

specially raised to have cases,

few pesticides.

HA

formation:

microwave on high

in the

toss

before

out the

juice.

brands of meat and poultry that are

no antibiotic residues and

The companies

that

make

even, in

some

these products

take extra precautions to eliminate residues. They've signed

memorandums

of understanding

(MOUs)

with the Depart-

ment of Agriculture. These are legal agreements between the USDA and the company concerning drugs and residues in feed and water. They are upholding standards that are than regular

USDA guidelines. These producers strictly mon-

itor their animals to ticides, antibiotics,

make

sure they have eHminated

many pes-

hormones, and other drugs.

These following companies, among

others,

MOUs with the USDA. Beef Harris Ranch, Selma, California

Hitch Enterprises, Guymon, Oklahoma

Chicken Foster Farms, Turlock, California

Holly Farms, Wilkesboro, North Carolina 156

far stricter

have signed

David Steinman

Turkey Foster Farms, Livingston, California

Norbest, Salt Lake City, Utah

Louis Rich, Davenport, Iowa Swift- Eckrich,

South Chicago,

Illinois

Chernobyl Radiation

The year 2006 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The explosion of a nuclear reactor at the power plant in Chernobyl in the

USSR in

late April

1986 released the

largest quantity of nuclear material ever freed in one technological accident. If you eat

imported European meats, such

as

PoHsh

hams or reindeer meat from Finland, you should be wary of lowlevel radiation

exposure due to the Chernobyl

disaster.

Shortly after the Chernobyl accident, the U.S. Deparmient of Agriculture

Food

Safety and Inspection Service began to

itor the radiation levels

mon-

of European meat and poultry to assess

the extent of radioactive contamination in products that

would

enter the U.S. food supply. Very few of the samples exceeded the

Drug Administration for contamination of human food and animal

guideHnes developed by the Food and accidental radioactive feed.

However, by October 1986, approximately 50 percent of

the one thousand samples taken contained cesium residues

exceeding normal background highest levels in

its

levels.

The

country with the

food products was Romania, followed by

Brazil,

which imports meats from Poland

plants.

Four countries that export

for processing at

significant

its

amounts of meat

and poultry to the United States had samples with significantly high

total

The

half-life

problem

cesium

will

Poland

is

levels:

Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, and

Brazil.

of cesium ranges from 2.1 to thirty years; thus the

remain with us for quite some time.

one of the biggest exporters of canned ham and

pork shoulders to the United States (78.3 million pounds in 157

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

A sampling of Polish products indicated that some had

1986). total

cesium

levels as

high

as one-third

of the allowable levels

for foods.

In

exported

1986, Yugoslavia

ham and

canned cesium

is

shoulders into the United States. Total

level.

a principal exporter of canned beef into the

States (46.1 million

and beef cesium

of

of Yugoslavian meats were as high as one-fourth

levels

of the allowable Brazil

million pounds

18.5

pounds

extract. Brazilian

levels that

Brazilian beef

in 1986).

Be wary of Brazilian beef

beef extract recently has had total

were nearly twice the allowable

had cesium

United

levels as

high

level.

Other

one-tenth of the

as

federal response level.

These European affected

nations'

by the Chernobyl

meat and poultry were

least

Germany,

Italy,

disaster: France,

and the Netherlands.

Meat and poultry from the following nations were moderately affected

by the Chernobyl

disaster:

Denmark, Hungary, Sweden, and poultry from these nations

Meat and

Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia. Eat

meat and

no more than once every few months.

poultry products from these nations were signifi-

cantly contaminated by the Chernobyl accident: Brazil, Fin-

Romania, and Switzerland. Avoid eating meat

land, Poland,

and poultry products imported from these countries. The problems persist to

this day,

but

many common

folk in the

Ukraine

and other European radiation hotspots complain the govern-

ment

doesn't

want

to

monitor contamination

foods because the public

they want

officials

know what

levels in their

they will find and

the people to believe that everything

is

okay.

Protecting Yourself against Food Poisoning

Cook These 158

meat, pork, and poultry thoroughly to bacteria are heat sensitive

kill

and are destroyed

salmonella. at

cooking

David Steinman

temperatures of 140°F or higher.

To be completely

safe,

cook

poultry until the meat reaches 180°F to ensure the destruction

of any salmonella that

may

be present. Boneless parts should

be cooked to an internal temperature of 1 60°F, is

cooked thoroughly,

To make

sure that

juices will

be

meat and poultry

When poultry

not pink.

clear,

are

cooked

all

the

way

through, use a meat thermometer to measure internal temperature. Insert the tip into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding fat

and bone. For poultry, insert the thermometer

tip into the

thick part of the thigh next to the body.

Meat and

poultry dishes are safe to eat

cooked to the temperatures but you should

know

listed below.

that cooking

it

when they

are

Rare beef is popular,

to only 140°F

means

some food poisoning organisms may survive. Remember, use meat thermometer to record the internal temperature.

SAFE

a

MEAT AND POULTRY COOKING TEMPERATURES Farenheit

Celcius

Fresh Beef Rare

60

Medium

71

Well done

77

Ground Beef

77

Fresh Veal

77

Fresh

Lamb

Medium

77

Well done

82

159

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Fresh Pork

170

77

Poultry

Chicken

180-185

82-85

Turkey (boneless)

180-185

82-85

Turkey roast

180-185

82-85

Stuffing (inside or outside the bird)

165

74

Ham (raw) Ham (fully cooked)

160

71

140

60

Shoulder

170

77

Cured Pork

Game Venison

160-170

71-77

Rabbit

180-185

82-85

Duck

180-185

82-85

Goose

180-185

82-85

Reprinted from The Safe Food Book, published by die

and hispection Service, 1985 and updated

at

Food

USDA Food Safety

Safety Facts,

USDA,

August 1999 (www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fs-cook.html).

Always wash your hands before handling meats and poultry.

Do

not use the same knife for meat, pork, or poultry and for

produce.

Wash

knives well with hot water and soap before

using on produce.

Do

not chop produce on the same surface

where you cut meat, pork, and surfaces

where meat

juices

poultry.

Thoroughly wash

all

have dripped.

Your refrigerator temperature should be below 40°F, and your freezer should be

more time 160

to

cook

set at 0°F.

Always allow frozen food

—generally one and one-half times longer

— David Steinman

than food that has been thawed. Always thaw meats in the refrigerator or microwave, never

warmth of

on the kitchen counter. The

the kitchen and exposure to other foods creates

ideal conditions for

growth and spread of

bacteria.

Meat and

poultry thaw from outside to inside, so thawing your meat

and poultry in the refrigerator will keep bacteria from growing

on the outside while the

inside thaws.

Don't carry cooked meat to the table on the same platter

you used

to transport the

Cooked poultry

that

raw meat to the

grill.

not eaten immediately should be

is

kept hot (between 140°F and 185°F) or refrigerated at 40°F or below. Slice the meat or poultry before refrigerating so

it

will

cool quickly. Store casseroles and stews in shallow pans so they will cool quickly in the refrigerator.

Reheat leftovers to pot to retain as

make

much

at least

165°F before eating. Cover the

moisture and flavor as possible and to

sure the food will heat evenly

all

the

way through. Bring

leftover gravy to a rolling boil before serving.

Store chicken for picnics or luncheons in an insulated con-

Keep all cooked poultry refrigerated for more than two hours. Never leave foods particularly meats tainer or ice chest.

—

in the

ment

oven overnight; microorganisms find the oven environa perfect hatchery.

If you are preparing a brisket for the Seder, or

prepare food long before eating

it,

steps before serving to prevent contamination teria

germ

Clostridium perfringens.

isms are present in the

humans, and

soil, in

no

less

it

in a

cafe-

one of the leading

You should hold

than 140°F. Better

your dish ahead of time and refrigerate microwave, or reheat

from the

the intestines of animals and

causes of food poisoning in the United States. at

special

These microscopic organ-

in sewage. Perfringens are

cooked meat dishes

any time you

you should take

it.

still,

cook

Then reheat it in the

warming oven

at

200°F

for about

161

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

one hour before serving. Wrapping the meat reheating

it

in

its

own

gravy will keep

it

in foil

and

moist.

Should any meat or product have an off odor or an unusual color or texture, return

it

to the store.

Do

not

taste

it.

The

microorganisms responsible for food poisoning cannot be tasted,

anyway.

Safe Shopping

List:

Meat and Poultry

Photocopy this list and use it when you shop for meat or poultry. Always prefer green light cuts of meat and poultry. They are the safest cuts and significantly reduce your toxic exposures.

They may not be have

far

pesticide and chemical free, but these cuts

fewer residues than the most dangerous

Within each group

I've listed the foods

ticide residues at the top.

162

cuts.

with the fewest pes-

David Steinman

Number

Green Light Chicken

(fried, breast, leg,

of Residues

and

homemade)

7

Pork roast (baked)

20

thigh,

OTHER GREEN LIGHT MEAT AND POULTRY Rabbit

Buffalo steak

Duck

Turkey breast luncheon meat

Escargot

Turkey meat

Frogs' legs

Venison (U.S.)

Goose

Number

Yellow Light Beef steak

(loin,

pan-cooked)

of Residues

51

Beef stroganoff (homemade)

81

Lamb

76

chops

Pork chops (pan-cooked)

29

Sahsbury steak with gravy, potatoes,

and vegetables (frozen meal, heated)

Turkey with

gravy, dressing, potatoes

vegetable (frozen meat heated)

115

and 75

OTHER YELLOW LIGHT MEAT AND POULTRY Chicken hot dogs and hamburgers

Chicken cold cuts

Turkey hot dogs and hamburgers

Red Light

Number

of Residues

Bacon (pork, pan-cooked)

124

Beef chuck roast (baked)

115 163

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Bologna

136

(sliced)

Chicken nuggets

184

(fast-food)

Chili con carne with beans

(homemade)

109

207

Frankfurters (beef, boiled)

Green peppers, rice

stuffed with beef

and

(homemade)

147

Ground beef

180

Ham (baked, with nitrite preservatives) Ham (luncheon meat, sliced, with

10

4

nitrite preservatives)

Hamburgers (quarter-pounder on bun. fast

285

food)

39

Liver (beef, fried)

Meatloaf (homemade)

Pork sausage (pan-cooked)

113

Salami

140

Sirloin steak

49

Veal cutlet

OTHER RED LIGHT MEAT Venison (imported from Europe)

164

186 ^

9

SEVEN Seafood

MENTIONED IN the Introduction that fish eaters in Los Angeles who were exposed to DDT- and PCB-contaminated I

seafood were found to have levels of

higher than people

who

DDT up to nineteen times

ate little or

subjects in our study regularly

had

no

The

fish.

fish-eating

DDT and PCB levels six to

ten times higher than would be expected in a "normal" unex-

posed population.

That was (ppb)

pretty bad.

DDT

Most people have

in their blood

probably have

a

few other

2 to 7 parts per billion

and about 2 to

5

ppb PCBs. They

pesticides, too, just

from eating the

food, drinking the water, and breathing the air of the late twentieth century.

thing else

we

These L.A.

fish eaters

discovered was even

had

more

it

even worse. But some-

disturbing.

A few of the

people with the highest levels had been eating fish caught

many

miles offshore, in a region where commercial fishermen throw their nets.

That finding suggested

a

much more dangerous and

widespread threat. In 1986

I

began buying

Angeles, from Koreatown to

fish

from markets throughout Los

Long

Beach.

We used

a laboratory

technique called electron-capture gas chromatography to detect

— Diet for a Poisoned Planet

pesticides

and industrial chemicals in die seafood we knew to

The

be coming most likely from the local waters.

white

croakers were popular with certain ethnic markets, and a

number of people

like

bonito and mackerel, though they are a

We

bit oily for others.

hoped we would

found that even commercially sold

is

find none.

white croaker

fished commercially with

fish,

cheap and

—

a

very

more than

hundred thousand pounds landed annually and sold were grossly polluted. This

But we

from super-

fish straight

The

market freezers were polluted. popular species that

fair

a

locally

plentiful,

would

contaminate the bodies of thousands of persons. Other local seafood, including mackerel, ocean perch, and swordfish, had industrial pollution

tion

seemed

coastline

I

The contamina-

sites. I

my articles,

reported this site-specific contamina-

and commercial fishermen have since been

bringing in fish

demanded

most contaminated

with significantly

to see U.S.

I

discovered that

Not by

a

it

was not

Some

whose

popular

and

Were

Were women

that's

from

all

Were

across

seafood

of childbearing age shocked?

public officials? Absolutely.

At the request of elected fied before

state

and federal

officials, I testi-

environmental committees of both the

lature

and the federal government.

out. I

was one of only

a

few people

I

believed

who

I

state legis-

had to speak

actually

knew inno-

men and women who had become poisoned with and PCBs from fish they were catching and eating.

cent

how

were contam-

fish

fish

the nation were, in fact, significantly polluted. lovers shocked?

are

Food and Drug Administration

just L.A.

long shot.

They

sites.

less pollution.

pesticide monitoring files for the entire nation,

inated.

Los Angeles

and gradually diminished north and south, away

able to steer clear of the

now

traces, too.

to be centered in fish caught off the

from the dump tion in

and pesticide

DDT

People needed to get smart to protect themselves, and they

166

David Steinman

needed to know that government's mandate to protect the

pubhc health had been compromised. Part of explain that they could

my

task

was to

no longer count on the government

to

protect their health.

That was why

I testified as

an expert witness before the

U.S. Congressional Subcommittee on Health and the Envi-

ronment

in

February 1986

of Representative

at the request

Henry Waxman of Los Angeles. I testified that despite the efforts of Food and Drug Administration pesticide watchdogs, a tremendous amount of poisoned seafood was being sold in markets throughout the nation.

I

presented evidence from the

FDAs own files. The next day my findings were printed on the front pages of newspapers in

Los Angeles and became the sub-

ject of stories throughout the nation.

Almost overnight people responded. simply buying

fish.

No

Thfey were asking grocers where their

came from. Restaurant patrons questioned their catfish

longer were they

Was

was caught.

swordfish

all

fish

chefs about

where

What

about

right?

snapper? Halibut? Farm-raised trout? Lobster? Shrimp?

We

needed answers. I

fish

have since studied the entire supply of U.S. and imported

and

species.

shellfish. I will tell

There

you the

relative risks of eating

are significant differences.

Some

each

species of fish

present cancer risks thousands of times greater than other species.

There

are fish to be avoided, but there

delicious seafood that Ironically, all this

come

at a

time

is safe,

plenty of

too.

information about toxins in seafood has

when an

eating fish and shellfish

number of Americans are because studies have shown that

increasing

switching from meat to fish

You

is

may

help prevent heart disease.

should include seafood in your diet. In the low-toxin,

high-energy diet

I

recommend

that

you

ings of fish a week. But beware! Fish

eat is

two or three

serv-

one of the primary 167

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

DDT,

sources of pollutants such as mercury, dioxin,

PCBs. So you must take care

to eat fish

and

and

shellfish that

are pure.

Seafood

high in protein and low in

is

that eating an average of

pound acids

week) of

a

known

as

one ounce

fat,

omega-3

and poultry, seafood

A

fatty acids,

can help prevent heart dis-

Compared with meat

extremely rich in these beneficial fatty

is

four-ounce serving of Chinook salmon has a whop-

ping 2.4 grams of omega-3 fatty

amount of chicken

acids,

whereas that same

breast has only 0.03 grams, and

and ground beef have bare traces of omega-3

omega-3

Interest in

fatty acids

Eskimos

entists discovered that

quantities of fish

had

was

in

first

of Dutch

men showed

supplements just

yet.

with

fish

A more

when

sci-

ate large

recent study

from coronary heart those persons

start

buying omega-3

fish oils

may

who

dis-

con-

fatty acid

be effective in

levels, experts really are

whether benefits conferred upon

omega-3

not quite

fish eaters are a

some other benefits associated recommend eating fish, not simply

fatty acids or

consumption.

taking fish

among

Although

reducing serum cholesterol

result of

sparked

an ounce of fish a day.

Don't give up seafood and

positive yet

fatty acids.

Greenland who

that mortality

ease was reduced 50 percent at least

roimd steak

low incidence of coronary heart disease

a

despite a high fat and cholesterol intake.

sumed

a half-

fatty coldwater fish, rich in beneficial fatty

ease, the nation's leading cause of death.

acids.

and studies report

day (roughly

a

I

oil capsules.

Seafood

is

also a valuable source of low-calorie protein,

fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin B12, calcium,

chromium, and

phosphorous.

At etable.

its best,

But

a

seafood

is

as safe as

finit

few seafood dishes should never be

family's table because they are a

168

any organic

set

or veg-

on your

primary source of harmfiil

David Steinman

and

industrial pollutants

pesticides.

At

its

worst, seafood

most dangerous source of powerful carcinogens

The broad

range of pollution to which of some

that concentrations

extremely elevated.

one

fact:

The

tragedy

is

diet.

exposed means

fish are

industrial

our

in

the

is

pollutants

be

will

best illustrated, perhaps, by

more than two thousand advisory warnings

against

eating certain seafoods have been issued by coastal and Great

Lakes

states.

Seafood Survival Guide

So how

safe

is

your seafood?

The

truth

is

that safety levels for

seafood pollution represent a compromise between the gov-

ernment and the fishing industry

The government

at the

expense of our health.

from

says that the risk

industrial pollution

and pesticides in food and water should be so low worst,

no more than one person

from toxins

that, at

in a million should get cancer

was

in that food or water. But, as usual, the law

written with a loophole that allows regulators to balance con-

sumer

economic harm.

risks against

other fi*eshwater

fish,

risk.

But public

and

far

officials in

and federal government have decided that banning Great

Lakes and other freshwater

fish

would impose too great an

economic burden on the commercial ticularly of the

government is

Great Lakes and

for instance, are extremely toxic

exceed this one-in-a-miUion cancer state

Many

Great Lakes. In

says that

its

fi*eshwater fisheries, par-

this case (and

many others),

the

one-cancer-out-of-a-million standard

too stringent and will hurt the seafood industry, so

it

allows

the sale of poisoned seafood throughout the nation.

Knowing where your seafood was caught about

how

safe

it is.

This survival guide discusses

in specific regions. (At the list

you can use even

will tell

if

end of the chapter

you don't know where

was caught.) In researching seafood

fish

a safe

is

you

a lot

caught

shopping

a particular fish

safety, I

have analyzed

169

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

thousands offish and reviewed the resuhs of tests of many U.S.

and foreign waters for industrial pollution and be surprised

will

It is

at

how many

safe fish there are.

important to keep in mind that

commercially marketed

fish.

You

pesticides.

Sport

fish,

this list includes

only

which are often caught

closer to shore, nearer polluted regions, are not included in this

list.

Thus, halibut caught from Santa Monica Bay and

flounder caught from Boston Harbor

may be

quite contami-

nated whereas commercially caught halibut and' flounder from

deeper offshore waters in most cases will be

less polluted.

We

are interested in the effects of overall lifetime doses, so occasionally eating seafood dishes

regions

is

from

relatively polluted inshore

unlikely to affect the overall dose.

The modern supermarket is filled with seafood imported from around the world. Some 60 percent of seafood sold in the United States is imported. You should know that seafood from Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and

New Zealand

is

the purest the

seven seas can give. Central and South American deep ocean

should be coveted for their purity.

fish I

have been reviewing analyses of food safety for years now,

and what follows

is

based on the best information available.

does not cover every the

number

when

These

lists

introduce

or every region, and in

some

cases

may not have been large. But I of information we can gather is impor-

of samples taken

believe that every bit tant

fish

It

it

comes

to cutting back

on

toxins in our food.

may help you cut a toxin source safe, new seafood dishes.

out of your diet or

some

Green Light

These lutants

fish

have the smallest concentrations of industrial pol-

and

pesticides,

seafood menu.

item

170

as well.

I

have

and should be the mainstays of your

listed the

Eat them often!

major sources of each seafood

David Steinman

Abalone

is

virtually pollution free.

Arctic char from Canada

virtually pollution free.

is

Blue crab from Puerto Rico

is

virtually pollution free.

Catfish from Brazil and Thailand

Caviar from Canada

virtually pollution free.

is

relatively pollution free.

is

Cod from Canada, Denmark,

Iceland, and

New Zealand is

virtually pollution free.

Crab from Korea

is

California,

Dungeness crab from Alaska

virtually pollution free.

and Washington (surimi)

Georgia, Argentina, China, and

is

from Korea

virtually pollution free. Imitation crab is

virtually pollution free.

Beware of addi-

tives in surimi.

Crawfish from Louisiana crawfish from Arkansas

is

virtually pollution free, but

is

slightiy polluted.

Croaker from Uruguay

is

virtually pollution free.

Dace from Hong Kong and China

Dover

sole

from

and the Netherlands

virtually pollution free.

Washington, France, Korea,

California, is

is

virtually pollution free.

localized pollution hot spots in California

more than

that affect recreational fishing

There

are a few

and Washington the commercial

fishery.

English sole from California

is

virtually pollution free.

Flounder (including East Coast yellowtail flounder) from

Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, VirNorth Carolina, Texas, CaHfornia, Argentina, Iceland,

Massachusetts, ginia,

Japan, Mexico, and the Netherlands

There if

are

some

possible stay

local pollution

is

virtually pollution free.

hot spots in Massachusetts, so

away from flounder caught from Boston

Harbor.

Freshwater bass from Mexico water

is

relatively clean for a fresh-

fish.

Grouper from Texas, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay is virtually pollution free. 171

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Haddock from Canada, is

and the United Ejngdom

Iceland,

virtually pollution free.

Halibut from Alaska, California, and Iceland pollution free, although your best bet halibut. Halibut

is

virtually

Alaskan or Icelandic

moderate mercury accumulator. Some

a

is

is

Los Angeles-area halibut may be tainted with PCBs.

Mahintahi from Florida and China

is

virtually pollution

mercury accumulator.

free. It is a low-level

Marlin from California

is

virtually pollution free. It

is

a

mercury accumulator.

Menpachi from Hawaii

is

virtually pollution free.

Milkfish from the Philippines

virtually pollution free.

is

Monkfish from New Zealand and Thailand

is

virtually pol-

lution free.

Mudfish

(dried)

from Thailand

is

virtually pollution free.

Mullet from Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Thailand

is

virtually

is

virtually

pollution free.

Octopus

is

virtually pollution free.

Orange roughy

is

virtually pollution free.

Palani from Hawaii

is

Pollock from Canada

Pomfret from

virtually pollution free.

is

virtually pollution free.

Hong Kong,

China, and Thailand

pollution free.

Red mullet from Mexico and Thailand

is

virtually pollu-

tion free.

Red snapper it's

is

virtually pollution free,

no matter where

from.

Rock bass from Florida

Salmon from

is

virtually pollution free.

Ireland and the United

Kingdom

is

virtually

pollution free. Pacific

salmon (chum,

king, silver, sockeye)

Cahfomia, Oregon, and Washington

Sand dabs from 172

is

from Alaska,

virtually pollution free.

California are virtually pollution free.

David Steinman

Sand goby from Thailand

virtually pollution free.

is

and imported, are

Scallops, domestic

virtually pollution free.

Sculpin from northern Cahfornia

is

virtually pollution free.

domestic and imported,

is

virtually pollution free.

Sea

bass,

Sea urchin roe

is

virtually pollution free.

Shrimpy domestic and imported, free.

is

virtually pollution

Because of the possible use of banned antibiotics in for-

eign farm-raised shrimp, prefer U.S. -harvested shrimp.

was most commonly detected

DDE

most recent Total Diet

in the

Study.

Sole from Cahfornia, Washington, and the Netherlands

is

virtually pollution free.

Spiny lobster from Austraha, is

Spiny lobsters

virtually pollution free.

lobsters in that they have

Squid

New Zealand,

no

from

common

claws.

virtually pollution free.

is

Striped bass from North CaroHna free. It is a

differ

and California

is

relatively pollution

mercury accumulator.

Talapia from California, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and Thailand

is

Hong Kong,

China,

virtually pollution free.

Tarpon from Puerto Rico

is

virtually pollution free. It

is

a

mercury accumulator. Trout from California, Georgia, Louisiana, Argentina, Canada, Chile, and Uruguay raised trout lakes

may contain

and streams are

is

virtually pollution free.

antibiotic residues.

Farm-

Trout from alpine

fine.

Wahoo from Mexico and Singapore

is

virtually pollution free.

Whiting, domestic and imported, from Chile, Japan, and

Uruguay

is

virtually pollution free.

Yellowtail

from the

Pacific

Coast

is

virtually pollution free.

173

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Yellow Light

Seafood under the yellow light heading tends to concentrate significantly lower levels of industrial pollutant

than the red light items. Yellow light seafood cautionary approach, however. Eat

Agel shark

is

it

and pesticides

still

warrants a

seldom.

moderately saturated with

DDT.

It is a

mer-

cury accumulator. Belt fish from

BHC,

Hong Kong

is

moderately saturated with

DDX and lindane.

Bonito fi-om Cahfornia

moderately saturated with

DDT

moderately saturated with

DDT

is

and PCBs.

Bream from Arkansas

is

and nonachlor. Butterftsh from Virginia

and

is

moderately saturated with

BHC

DDT.

Catfish from Iceland and

Mexico

is

moderately saturated

DDT

with

Caviar from Iran

is

moderately saturated with

Crab from the Chesapeake Bay

is

DDT

moderately saturated

with chlordane and PCBs.

Croaker from China and

moderately saturated with

is

BHC

DDT.

Drum DDT,

and

from Arkansas

is

moderately saturated with

DCPA,

dieldrin.

Fish sticks (frozen, heated). These have far more petrochemical contamination than ever before and have been

moved from often have

some

a

green light to yellow light food.

They

do, also,

MSG and other additives that may not be good for

people. In total,

some 229

residues were foimd with 1,2,4-

trimethylbenzene, chlorpyrifos, dichlorobenzene, malathion, toluene, and xylene

Northern pike

BHC, DDT, 174

and

most frequently detected.

fi-om

Canada

dieldrin. It

is

a

is

moderately saturated with

mercury accumulator.

David Steinman

Norwegian salmon

moderately saturated with

is

BHC,

lin-

dane, PCBs, and tecnazene.

Ocean perch

firom California

moderately saturated with

is

DDT and PCBs. Pacific barracuda

DDT

moderately saturated with

is

and PCBs.

Rainbow trout from Colorado and Missouri is moderately DDT, PCBs, and toxaphene.

saturated with chlordane,

Ribbonfish from Japan

is

moderately saturated with

BHC

moderately saturated with

DDT.

DDT

and

Rock cod from California Rockfish

is

New Jersey

Sea trout from

BHC, DDT,

is

moderately saturated with

dieldrin,

is

moderately saturated with

and PCBs.

Smelt from Oregon and Canada with

DDT,

New Jersey is

DDT and PCBs. It

is

Walleye from Canada

DDT,

and

dieldrin. It

is

a

moderately saturated with

dieldrin,

and

Tuna (canned from

DDT,

is

moderately saturated

mercury accumulator.

a

is

moderately saturated with

BHC,

mercury accumulator.

Whitefish from Canada

DDT,

moderately saturated

and PCBs.

Thresher shark from California with

is

and PCBs.

dieldrin,

Spot from dieldrin,

DDT and PCBs.

is

BHC,

moderately saturated with

HCB.

in

oil).

Tuna, when canned in

green light to yellow light food. I'd

oil,

make

moved

all

tuna a

yellow light food due to mercury contamination alone.

How-

a

ever, the increased

amount of chemical

still

residue in tuna appar-

ently increased greatly in the last decade with the presence of far

more

industrial petrochemicals.

Twenty of

thirty samples

contained toluene. Also found twelve times: benzene. In

total,

eighty chemical residues were found.

175

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Red

Light

These red

light fish concentrate in their flesh the greatest

amounts of

industrial pollutants

chlordane,

DDT,

and pesticides such

heptachlor,

dieldrin,

PCBs, and

These include some of the most dangerous foods ican food supply.

Black cod sablefish)

is

dioxin.

Amer-

in the

have cut them out completely.

(also sold as California black cod, butterfish,

PCBs, chlordane, DDT,

quite saturated with

is

dieldrin,

HCB,

and

DDT.

highly saturated with

Bluefish

DCPA,

I

BHC,

as

nonachlor, and octachlor. Smaller

bluefish are not as polluted as larger ones.

Buffalo fish from Alabama, Arkansas,

Illinois,

Louisiana,

Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin

DDT,

tachlor, nonachlor,

satu-

HCB,

hep-

PCBs, penta, and toxaphene. Buffalo

fish is

rated with chlordane,

also a

is

diazinon, dioxin,

mercury accumulator.

Carp from Arkansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Virginia

DDT,

dane,

octachlor,

dieldrin,

is

saturated with

chewitz gefilte fish

is

It is

heptachlor, nonachlor,

made with

fish is

made with

northern Manitoba in Canada. gefilte fish

HCB,

dioxin,

and penta. Gefilte

PCBs, BHC, chlorcarp.

Manis-

carp from the lakes of

probably

less polluted

than

made with domestic carp.

Catfish from the rivers of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, ICansas, Illinois, Louisiana,

Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota,

North CaroHna, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin with

BHC,

chlordane,

DCPA, DDT,

heptachlor, nonachlor, octachlor, It is

so absolutely polluted that

the market.

dieldrin

raised

176

is

HCB,

it

should be banned now from is

also

polluted,

though

contamination with chlordane and

quite significant.

catfish

saturated

PCBs, penta, and toxaphene.

Farm-raised catfish

slightly less; however, its

is

dieldrin, dioxin,

The

southern breeders of farm-

must take stronger measures

to

prevent

David Steinman

contamination of their product with these two pesticides and with

DDT and Hndane.

Caviar from Michigan and China

DDT,

and PCBs.

you buy

If you eat

it

often,

saturated with chlordane,

is

you should be concerned.

only once or twice a year, go ahead and enjoy

it

Chub from

Illinois,

If

it.

Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin

is sat-

BHC, chlordane, DCPA, DDT, dieldrin, dioxin, HCB, heptachlor, lindane, nonachlor, and octachlor.

urated with endrin,

Smoked chub This one

is

very popular, but

expose you to more pollution in one meal

fish will

than a careful

shopper might be exposed to in

Cod from Cahfornia and with is

DDT and PCBs.

listed in the

also extremely polluted.

it is

the Pacific Northwest

Imported cod

is

is

very pure, however;

DCPA, DDT,

is

saturated with

dieldrin, dioxin,

HCB,

coho salmon from the Great Lakes Smaller coho are safe but

Pacific

it

still

is

BHC,

heptachlor,

nonachlor, octachlor, PCBs, penta, and toxaphene.

eat.

saturated

green hght category.

Coho salmon from the Great Lakes chlordane,

a lifetime.

Any

large

extremely dangerous to

quite dangerous. Stay with

Coast salmon for your purest choices.

Croaker caught along the Atlantic seaboard has low

moderate

levels

of chlordane,

DDT,

dioxin,

toxaphene contamination. Imported croaker

is

to

PCB, and

slightly purer

than the domestic catch.

Dace, often imported from China,

DDT,

is

saturated with

BHC,

and Hndane.

Eels from Massachusetts,

New Jersey, New York,

Canada, and Japan are saturated with dieldrin,

dioxin,

HCB,

BHC,

heptachlor,

Delaware,

chlordane,

nonachlor,

DDT,

lindane,

and PCBs. Eels accumulate mercury. Lake trout from Minnesota and the other Great Lakes

octachlor,

states

is

tachlor,

saturated with

HCB,

BHC,

chlordane,

DDT,

dieldrin,

hep-

nonachlor, octachlor, and PCBs.

177

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Lobster from Maine and Massachusetts

PCBs. The worst of the pollution

is

saturated with

concentrated in that

is

portion of the lobster called the tomalley, which

is

popular in

ethnic markets in Massachusetts as a delicacy and sauce; not

somewhat reduce your exposure. Be which are sometimes made with toma-

eating the tomalley will

wary of lobster lley

and which

sauces, will

be contaminated with PCBs. Even edible

portions of Maine and Massachusetts lobsters are extremely

contaminated with PCBs. Lobster from California and imported lobster are hsted under the green light category.

Mackerel from

New

York

DDT, HCB,

chlordane,

mackerel fi*om California atively safer but

is

saturated with

PCBs, BHC,

nonachlor, and octachlor. Pacific is

slightly cleaner

and therefore

not pure by any means.

Mullet from California and North Carohna

DCPA, DDT,

with PCBs, ever,

rel-

imported mullet

dieldrin,

and

quite clean and

is

is

saturated

traces of dioxin. is

listed as a

Howgreen

light fish.

Northern pike from Minnesota and other Midwestern waters

is

tremendous accumulator of mercury and often

a

other pesticides and industrial chemicals.

Sea herring from the United

New

Zealand

lands,

and

DDT,

dieldrin, endrin,

is

Canada, the Nether-

States,

saturated with

HCB,

BHC,

chlordane,

heptachlor, hndane, nonachlor,

and PCBs. Shark, domestic and imported,

PCBs. Shark

is

is

saturated with

Sheepshead ft-om Minnesota and Wisconsin with

BHC,

DDT and

a mercury accumulator.

chlordane,

DCPA, DDT,

tachlor, nonachlor, octachlor,

Smallmouth bass

fi-om

dieldrin,

is

saturated

HCB,

hep-

and PCBs.

Minnesota

is

contaminated with

dioxin.

Striped bass from

178

New York, New Jersey,

and other north-

David Steinman

eastern states and

from San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento

Delta in California

DDT,

dieldrin,

saturated with

is

HCB,

PCBs, BHC, chlordane,

nonachlor, and octachlor.

It is also a

mercury accumulator. Stay away! Sturgeon from

BHC,

DDT,

chlordane,

and Minnesota

Illinois

is

saturated with

HCB,

dieldrin, dioxin,

heptachlor,

lindane, nonachlor, octachlor, penta, and other pesticides such as

DCPA and

triflurahn.

Swordfish, domestic and imported,

with

DDT and PCBs, and

Trout from

New

DDT,

Walleye from

and Wisconsin Walleye

is

Illinois,

is

Jersey,

Maryland, Virginia,

contaminated with

is

BHC,

and octachlor.

York, Minnesota, Michigan,

saturated with

DDT,

dioxin,

and PCBs.

mercury accumulator.

a

BHC,

New

moderately saturated

prime mercury accumulator.

dieldrin, nonachlor,

Weakflsh from with

a

New

and Michigan

Florida, Missouri,

chlordane,

it is

York,

is

New

chlordane,

York and Pennsylvania

DDT,

dieldrin,

HCB,

is

saturated

nonachlor, and

octachlor.

White bass from Ohio and many other areas with

BHC,

chlordane,

DCPA, DDT,

nonachlor, octachlor, and PCBs. Be wary of

White croaker from California

is

is

saturated

dieldrin, all

HCB,

white bass.

saturated with

DDT

and PCBs. Whitefish from Pennsylvania and

many

other areas

is

con-

taminated with dioxin.

White perch from with

DDT,

New York and Pennsylvania is saturated

dieldrin, dioxin,

Yellow eel from China

is

and PCBs. saturated with

BHC, DDT,

and

lindane.

Yellow perch from Pennsylvania has traces of dieldrin.

Be

wary of all freshwater perch.

179

— Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Natural Toxins

Other

perils

of both shellfish and

completely

fish include certain

unwary consumer, and

natural toxins that can be deadly to the

and other microorganisms that are found in

viruses

shellfish,

often as a result of coastal sewage pollution.

The

three

most common naturally occurring

from the dangers of eating

which

sushi,

I

perils

discuss

—aside

below

include ciguatera, scombroid fish poisoning, and paralytic shellfish poisoning.

None

Let's take ciguatera

can be prevented through cooking.

first.

Ciguatera

is

an

microscopic creature

tiny, naturally toxic

illness

known

gellate that lives in tropical areas such as the

caused by a

as a dinofla-

Caribbean and

Hawaii. These dinoflagellates biocencentrate up the food into

some of our

favorite

game

fish,

web

causing thousands of cases

of ciguatera each year. In the continental United States, the only real threat from ciguatera Florida,

is

along the southern

tip

and even there the threat often comes from

of

fish

caught in other areas of the Caribbean. Other areas hkely to

produce ciguatoxic

fish include Australia, the

Bahamas, Cuba,

Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Where

it is

prevalent, ciguatera strikes hard and frequently.

In Queensland, Australia, ciguatera appears to strike as as 1,828

many

out of every 100,000 individuals, roughly 2 percent of

the population. In the Virgin Islands there are about 730 cases for every 100,000 people. In

Miami

100,000. Outbreaks in Maryland and result of fish shipped

from

about

5 in

Vermont have been

the

the incidence

Florida. In the

main problem with ciguatoxic

fish is

is

United States our

mainly in Hawaii and the

Caribbean with recreationally caught species. Restaurants do very well at protecting their customers.

Ciguatera symptoms

may

be

felt

thirty hours after the offending meal.

appear one to 180

six

from

a

few minutes to

Most symptoms begin to

hours after the meal.

They

include

David Steinman

abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Other symptoms could include a metallic taste in the

There

pain.

may

The

skin.

may

feel hot; cold

water

may seem

possible

is

up concentrations of the ciguatoxin

becoming

sick

once the

levels reach a

have spoken with persons

ciguatera.

For some

cause extreme nerve

it is

who

in their

break point.

have been hit with

mild. But for others, ciguatera can

damage whose

years. I have a friend

who was

effects linger painfully for

afflicted

with ciguatoxin.

finds that even several years later his nerve endings are

extremely sensitive. activity cause

him

Long

And

come

imports of

is a

are at

fish that

into the United States.

What

much

higher

should you do

could harbor the toxin

The

real

when

with

I

have

fish

would avoid eating these

might harbor the ciguatoxin:

Mahimahi

Forktailed snapper

Royal sea bass

Grouper

Snapper

fish,

lies

eat their catch.

visiting areas likely to

Barracuda

Large

problem

who

risk.

infected with the ciguatoxin? species of fish that

problem are very

might be contaminated with

sport fishermen in areas such as Hawaii

They

still

pain.

Restaurants in areas where ciguatera

ciguatoxin.

He

periods of sitting or of athletic

careful not to serve fish that

rarely

to

ciguatera can be a fatal disease.

linger twenty years or longer. It

that people build

I

cream may

And

ciguatoxin chemicals are powerful neurotoxins, and

their effects

bodies,

severe tooth

are also reversals in nerve sensation: hot coffee

feel cold; ice

burn the

mouth and

weighting more than four pounds, are more likely

to harbor ciguatoxin than are smaller fish.

Because of Hawaii's tremendous popularity

as a tourist

181

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

destination and because a large there, I have also included a

ciguatera poisoning.

I

amount of sport

list

of Hawaiian

have given the

fishing

done

is

fish implicated in

common

with the Hawaiian names in parentheses. As

I

English names noted, restau-

rants tend to be extremely careful to avoid serving any fish that

could harbor ciguatoxin. However, just to be on the safe side,

you might want

These

fish

to

copy

this list for

your next

trip to

Hawaii.

from Hawaiian waters may harbor ciguatoxin:

Amberjack

Mullet (uouoa)

(kahala)

Barracuda (kaku)

Skipjack (aku)

Black snapper (wahanui)

Thread-fin

Blue spotted grouper

Snapper (opakapaka)

(roi)

fish

(moi)

Surgeonfish

Eel (puhialo)

(manini or palani)

Goatfish (weke)

Wrasse (po'ou)

Jack (ulua) Milkfish (awa)

Researchers are on the verge of developing a "stick

test,"

which anyone can use to detect harmful ciguatoxin concentrations in their sport catch.

Scombroid ness,

is

fish poisoning,

another naturally occurring

ill-

caused by poor handling aboard fishing vessels, and

it

occurs worldwide. Cooking cannot destroy the infecting agent in

scombroid poisoning. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal

cramps, tingling and burning sensations around the mouth, oral

blistering

or burning, rashes and itching, redness,

headaches, dizziness, and vomiting. If your fish tastes peppery, it

could be infected with scombroid poisoning.

agent that makes you sick

is

a

The

actual

form of histamine toxin that

multiplies rapidly if fish are allowed to remain at high temperatures for several hours.

ermen 182

is

The

preventative step for sport fish-

immediate icing and chilled storage. The

fish that

David Steinman

most commonly cause scombroid poisoning are erel,

tuna,

mack-

bonito, bluefish, and mahimahi. Also sometimes involved

are herring, sardines, amberjack, anchovy, jack mackerel,

and

skipjack.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) results

when

naturally

occurring dinoflagellates, which build up in red tides, concentrate in mussels, oysters, scallops,

and clams. Paralytic

shellfish

poisoning was a tremendous problem earlier in the century, but

is

largely contained today

although

it

may sometimes

by

vigilant public monitoring,

occur in the United States as well

as Chile and Japan. In the United States, a

the

North Carolina

fi-eak

red tide off

coast in 1987 resulted in forty-eight cases

of paralytic shellfish poisoning.

Your knowledge of the environment can help you

steer clear

of paralytic shellfish poisoning. Recreational shellfish harvesters

should get to

Red

know their tidelands and when the

tides in the

red tides occur.

May

United States usually occur between

and

October. If you harvest clams recreationally, note whether there is

discoloration of the water, bird or fish deaths, or

eye, respiratory,

may be a

and skin

occurring.

irritations in

red tide and wait however

tide has

humans.

You should stop harvesting

completely gone.

if

there are

A red tide bloom at the first sign

many weeks are needed Once red tide recedes,

quickly excrete the toxic dinoflagellate

of

until the shellfish

—except Alaska butter

clams, which store the dinoflagellate toxin for months.

Symptoms of PSP occur within nausea and vomiting; paralysis

poisoning

is

thirty

may

life-threatening and

minutes and include

set in. Paralytic shellfish

makes you

feel as

have had a stroke. Cooking will not destroy the toxin paralytic shellfish poisoning.

though you

responsible for

Paralytic shellfish poisoning can

occur during clambakes and barbecues; recognize

its

symp-

toms. Victims should get help immediately from a doctor or a

poison control center.

183

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Shopping Tips Patronize fish markets and supermarkets that provide accurate

information about where your seafood was harvested. You

cannot put

this

information about the safety of fish from

ferent places to use if your retailer won't

know where the stock is from.

tell

dif-

you or doesn't

Certainly now that even govern-

ment officials admit that some of our favorite seafoods

are con-

taminated with industrial and pesticide pollution, shops have an

where

ethical obligation to tell patrons

caught. Unfortunately, they have

Many

markets

now

no

legal obligation to

do

so.

offer this information, however.

One

where the

day's

California supermarket provides fliers noting fish

was

their seafood

was caught. Other markets announce on the

PA

system

that they have just gotten in a supply of a particular fish. are responsible attempts to provide

These

consumers with invaluable

information. retailers

who

post the origins of their seafood, other retailers will follow

suit.

If

you and others

like

you buy seafood from

Remember, the way you spend your food dollars has an effect on retailers and ultimately on the environment. Every fish market and supermarket manager should know where the seafood was harvested. Stay with those retailers

Vague or delayed answers that this

vested. Federal law requires that state traffic

be tagged with the

people

shellfish

you

off

manager does not know where the seafood was caught.

Market workers should know where

If the

who know.

to your questions should tip

all

site

shellfish

shellfish

were har-

moving

where they were harvested.

who work in your market do

not

know where

were caught, find another store where the

have such information. You should do Shellfish that are tagged are

in inter-

staff

the

does

this to protect yourself.

from harvest areas that are

monitored for bacterial contamination. Untagged

strictly

shellfish

could be firom illegal harvest grounds. Illegal harvesting of 184

David Steinman

shellfish

is

particularly prevalent in the Narragansett

Bay area

and the Louisiana Delta. Unfortunately it is a seafood catch

is

hard in many places to find out where To help you find safe fish anyway, I

still

from.

have devised a chart that identifies safe and dangerous fish by species,

without regard to the geographic location where they

were caught. These

Buy fish

lists

that has

are at the

been well

end of this chapter.

chilled. All fresh fish sold in fish

markets and supermarkets should be kept on ice

Be wary of

fresh fish kept in unenclosed

at

about 33°F.

areas

that are

unshielded from customers. This can lead to the spread of disease.

Eyes of whole

fish

should be bright and shiny, never

sunken or watery. Eyes that bulge are

a sign

of freshness. Skin

should be moist, scales shiny. Flesh should be moist and firm

and spring back when touched. tation, the fish has

gone bad.

If your finger leaves

Gills should be red

an inden-

on the

inside,

not black, brown, or gray. Use your nose. Fish that smells fishy has gone bad. Beware of an

ammonia

scent, especially in shark,

another indication of mishandling.

The

claims by

some markets

that fish are "fresh frozen"

an oxymoron. Fresh frozen simply means that the

fish

is

was

frozen quickly after harvest. In the opinion of most fish lovers, "fi-esh

frozen" fish

is

never as tasty as fresh

been frozen and thawed

that has

if

Lobsters and crabs should fight back handled.

Make

fish.

you value

Never buy fish

taste

when

and

quality.

they are being

sure clam, mussel, and oyster shells are shut

tightly; this indicates that

they are

alive.

The

shells of

dead

clams will gape open.

Beware of an iodine smell or off odor

in shellfish.

Beware

of any fishy smell in scallops; this indicates that they are bad.

Good

fresh squid should smell sweet. Shellfish that smells

fishy has

Buy

gone bad.

these fish and shellfish that are high in

omega-3

fatty

185

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

acids.

Grams of omega-3

fatty acids in a

four-ounce cut are

given in parentheses.

Chinook salmon, canned Chinook salmon Clams

Pollock (0.6)

(3.3)

Rainbow

(2.4)

trout (1.2)

Red snapper

(0.2)

(0.4)

Coho

salmon, canned (1.8)

Scallops (0.4)

Crabs

(0.5)

Shrimp

(0.5)

Eastern oysters (0.5)

Sole (0.3)

Flounder

(0.3)

Squid

(1.0)

Haddock

(0.2)

Tuna,

light.

Halibut (0.4)

in water (0.2)

Lobster (0.3)

Pink salmon

Tuna, white, in water (0.5)

(2.2)

Turbot

Mussels (0.8)

(0.3)

Pacific oysters (1.0)

Adapted horn Nutrition Action, September 1984.

Raw

By in

Shellfish

far the greatest

raw

immediate toxic

shellfish. If it

would get seafood.

sick

risk in eating seafood lies

were not for raw

from

shellfish,

very few people

bacterial contamination as a result of

Thousands of Americans who have suffered through

an excruciating bout of gastroenteritis attribute their eating raw shellfish. In

New York State

identified as the cause of more than

illness to

in 1982 shellfish

were

one hundred reported out-

breaks of viral gastroenteritis that involved

more than

a

thou-

sand people. Almost invariably people report that they've eaten raw clams. Since 1982, the

Health has recorded

York Department of

thirty- three outbreaks of illness caused

eating clams, involving

more than 250

and 20 cases of hepatitis.

186

New

by

cases of gastroenteritis

David Steinman

Between July 22 and July

29, 1982, the

New

York State

Health Department evaluated 908 establishments that sold clams and found the 125 of them stocked clams that were

untagged or improperly certified to identify their water of origin. Louisiana Delta shellfish were responsible for an outbreak

of cholera that was the since 1911.

first

indigenous outbreak in the nation

During the summer and

fall

of 1982, twelve cases

of cholera were linked with eating crabs and shrimp caught

along the Gulf of Mexico. Cholera from seafood can be largely

prevented by proper refrigeration and thorough cooking. Ordinarily one would not think of fish or shellfish as

harboring Hsteria and salmonella bacteria, which are normally associated with

imported

meat from warm-blooded animals. Some

shellfish

such

as

shrimp, however, appear to be con-

taminated with salmonella and eating imported shellfish raw.

listeria

microorganisms. Avoid

Thoroughly

boil

shrimp before

serving.

People with AIDS, cancer, and

liver disease

and other

immune-weakened persons should forgo eating raw and possibly even steamed

When

I

cook

chefs

safety,

have gotten

them

sick;

steam even

you love raw

bring the water to a boil and then

shellfish

recommend steaming

maximum If

shellfish.

shellfish, I

steam the clams or other

seven to eight minutes.

just until the shells

shellfish

at

shellfish

open, but for

seven to eight minutes.

I

seven minutes, the shellfish taste

oysters

Some never fine.

and clams and are unwilHng to give

up, at least be aware of the risks.

you're eating were very fi-esh

Be sure the

shellfish

when you opened them; ideally you

should eat at a raw bar where you can watch them being opened. If there is the shghtest hint

of an off odor, don't eat them.

187

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Sushi

We have heard a lot in recent years about bacteria and parasites entering people's systems from sushi and other raw

become

Japanese restaurants have has

become

a

fish.

As

increasingly popular, this

matter of serious concern for

many people.

Par-

can cause extreme pain similar to that of appendicitis.

asites

They are not deadly, however. The species most likely to harbor parasites are raw or undercooked freshwater

mous

such as pike or perch, as well as anadro-

species, such as salmon, that

freshwater and sites

fish

salt water.

spend their

lives in

both

Saltwater fish that might have para-

include European herring, mackerel, rockfish, salmon,

raw squid, and members of the cod

family, including whiting

and haddock. Be especially careful of parasites in raw Pacific salmon. In Hawaii, raw Pacific salmon has been the cause of a

number of cases of anisakis

parasitic infections. Parasites can

also survive in ceviche (raw fish marinated in lime juice).

Some

sushi favorites are

harbor parasites.

Many

much more

likely

(sake) as well as freshwater fish, such as carp

in vinegar or salted and fermented. asites.

than others to

sushi restaurants serve

These

and

fish

raw salmon trout,

soaked

may harbor par-

Neither soaking in vinegar nor salting destroys the

anisakis parasite.

The most commonly consumed

types of sushi include

bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, shiro maguro,

known

as albacore,

yellowtail. asites.

But

These

—

is

also

is known as Japanese may occasionally harbor par-

and hamachi, which

fish,

when

raw,

this is truly rare.

Other uncooked seafood commonly served rants

which

fish roe, clams, abalone,

and octopus

to be sources of parasitic infections in

in sushi restau-

—are not known

humans, according to

Michael Ruttenberg, M.D., an expert on medical problems associated with sushi.

188

David Steinman

The

best solution for

140°F for

fish fillets to

or Sashimi to

kill

Symptoms

sushi at

thirty seconds.

home

You can

is

also fi-eeze sushi

be mild or severe and

for ulceration or inflammation. In severe

symptoms include extreme abdominal

cians can detect

to heat the

bacteria and parasites and stop spoiling.

of parasitic infection can

might be mistaken cases, the

making

embedded

pain. Physi-

parasites with a gastrofiberscope

and remove them.

These

are your best picks (with

American names

in paren-

theses) for safe sushi:

Amaebi

(sweet

Maguro

shnmp)

(albacore)

Ebi (shnmp)

Tai (red snapper)

Hamachi

Tako (octopus)

(Japanese yellowtail)

Hotategai (scallop)

Toro

Kani

Uni

These

(crab)

are

some of the

Kazunoki (herring

(fatty tuna)

(sea urchin roe)

least safe sushi choices:

Most

roe)

Saba (mackerel)

freshwater

fish species

Sake (salmon)

Be

careful

larly

when you

now

important

eat

some

sushi delicacies. This

that fagu, a sashimi

(puffers), is served in this country.

is

made with

particu-

blowfish

Fugu must be properly

pared to remove the deadly tetrodotoxin found in the entrails,

and

ovaries.

As many

as fifty to

one hundred Japanese

die each year after the thrill of eating this delicacy. I thrill,

too.

do mean

A mild dose of the poison found in puffer fish appar-

endy provides

a slight high.

So when

might want to be careful of puffer puffer in Japan, licensed chef. tingling

preliver,

make

traveling in Japan

dishes. If you are

you

going to eat

sure the restaurant employs

a trained,

How will you know if you have been poisoned? A

and numbness of the

lips,

tongue, and fingertips will

189

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

become

quite evident, followed

arms and

legs

and

by progressive

paralysis of the

Death could

difficulty in breathing.

result in

two to twenty-four hours. Survival beyond twenty-four hours

means

that

known

treatment.

you

just

might

respiration

live. Artificial

is

the only

No antidotes to the poison exist.

Cooking Tips

Always store fresh

Use

fish in the coldest part

fresh fish the day

it

of your refrigerator.

bought. Frozen fish should be

is

cooked while frozen. Thawing leads to rapid deterioration of taste

and

Cook shellfish

quality.

To destroy any harmful

within twenty- four hours.

bacteria

on

fish,

follow this rule

of thumb for cooking temperatures. For every inch of thickness of the

Use an

cook the

fillet,

internal

fish at

thermometer

ature of the flesh

is

at least

to

450°F

for thirteen minutes.

make

sure that the temper-

145°F for

a

minimum

of five

minutes. Broil

fillets

on an open rack and

Research shows that by discarding the fried fish

much

as

it

will

Remember

and leach into the

oil.

many

Unfor-

not reduce levels of mercury. that pesticides accumulate in fatty tissue. Avoid

whenever you

suspect.

before serving pan-

65 percent. That's because

toxic chemicals are Hpid soluble

fat

oil

the juices drip out.

you can reduce industrial pollution and pesticide

concentrations by as

tunately

let

eat fish (or

Trim and

any other food) whose purity you

discard the skin and the fatty portions from

the top, side, and belly of pike, walleye. Great Lakes coho

salmon and lake eat fish

trout,

and other Great Lakes

fish if you

must

from those waters.

Safe Shopping List: Seafood

These of

190

fists

show you the

fish, regardless

relative safety of many different kinds

of where they were caught. These charts are

David Steinman

based on samples of particular species of fish from

sites

around

the nation.

Use the

when you shop for fish and can't determine They will also provide a guide for ordering

these charts

fish's origin.

seafood in restaurants.

Green Light Abalone

Imitation crab (surimi)

Sea bass

Arctic char

Mahimahi

Sea urchin roe

Crawfish

Marlin

Shrimp

Dover

Menpachi

Sole

Dungeness crab

Monkfish

Spiny lobster

English sole

Octopus

Squid

Flounder

Orange roughy

Talapia

Grouper

Pacific

Haddock

Red snapper

Whiting

Halibut

Scallops

Yellowtail

Belt fish

Norwegian salmon

Rockfish

Bonito

Ocean perch

Sea trout

Bream

Pacific barracuda

Smelt

sole

salmon

Wahoo

Yellow Light

Butterfish

Pacific mackerel

Spot

Drum

Porgy

Thresher shark

Fish sticks

Rock cod

191

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Red Light Bass (freshwater)

Lake trout

Swordfish

Black cod

Lobster

Trout

Bluefish

Mackerel

Tuna

Buffalo fish

Mullet

Walleye

Carp

Northern pike

Weakfish

Catfish

Sablefish

White

Caviar

Sea herring

White croaker

Chub

Shark

White perch

Cod

Sheepshead

Whitefish

Croaker

Striped bass

Yellow eel

Dace

Sturgeon

Yellow perch

(fi-eshwater)

Great Lakes salmon

192

bass

EIGHT Dairy Foods

Milk and other

dairy foods are extremely nutritious, and they

contribute generous amounts of protein, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin,

energy if

and vitamin

diet, adults

some

to our diet. In our low-toxin high-

can enjoy two servings of dairy products a day,

—but not

they want

A

just

any dairy products. As you

dairy foods are very bad for you.

ucts to eat and

point out which prod-

I'll

which to avoid.

Dairy products are an excellent source of amino are the building blocks of protein synthesis. tine, plentiful in dairy foods, helps

toxic chemical pollution

tants, radiation,

acids,

The amino

which

acid cys-

our bodies fight the ravages of

by working with vitamins A, C, and

and selenium to protect the body from

helps the

will see,

a

E

host of industrial pollu-

heavy metals, and pesticides. In addition, cystine

body process vitamin

B^,

which

is

involved in

some

fifty

chemical reactions with other amino acids.

Other amino tyrosine

acids in milk

—increase our mental

—glutamine, alertness

and

phenylalanine, and clarity of

thought

and help us overcome depression. These three amino acids have also

been shown to help

by acting

in

weight

loss

and weight maintenance

as natural appetite suppressants.

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

many

Despite these benefits, that adults eliminate dairy

point out that

beyond

humans

infancy.

Many

recommend products from their diet. They health experts

are the only species

who

drink milk

people lack the enzymes necessary to

when they grow older. And the nutrients available in many plant foods. Peaches, for

digest dairy products in

milk are

example, are an excellent source of vitamin

A

and

riboflavin.

Raspberries provide generous amounts of riboflavin. (Peaches

and raspberries are high in organic varieties

if

you

eat

though, so choose

pesticides,

them

for their vitamin content.)

Plantains are another excellent source of vitamin A.

Some

vegetarians are under the impression that they

eat dairy foods in order to get

enough

must

and B

protein, calcium,

vitamins. But in fact people can live completely healthy lives

without any dairy products.

We

need to be extra careful to choose

because children eat so that

some

many

safe dairy products

of them and because

we know

dairy foods contain dangerous pesticides, veterinary

medicines, and industrial chemicals. Unfortunately there real cause for concern. significant, measurable,

Some

is

dairy products present a clear,

and avoidable cancer

risk.

As we know,

toxins are concentrated in animals' fatty tissues, and dairy

products can be high in

fats.

inviting glass of whole milk to

So before you

your

lift

that cold,

consider that you just

lips,

might be about to drink a chemical cocktail spiked with pesticides, antibiotics,

and

dioxin,

sulfa drugs.

Fortunately, the nonfat dairy products that are safest for

your heart (and your waist) are also the lowest in

Unwisely chosen dairy foods can be

a

toxins.

primary source of

heavy doses of a wide variety of dangerous cancer-causing and neurotoxic chemicals.

Some

dairy foods have

among

highest levels in our diet of the banned pesticides chlordane,

194

DDT,

dieldrin, heptachlor,

and

the

BHC,

HCB. These

are

David Steinman

long-term toxins that pollute the

decades after their

soil for

application and continue to contaminate grains fed to

last

dairy cattle. In fact, pesticide contamination of dairy foods

is

every bit as serious as the contamination in meat, poultry, and

seafood

—possibly

Some

even more dangerous.

seafood

is

highly contaminated, but relatively few people eat large quantities

of the worst seafood dishes, whereas huge numbers of

people eat milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream regularly. I

am

particularly concerned about the low-level poisoning

who

of our children. Babies

milk are a lot

at risk,

are fed

whole milk or evaporated

and so are breast-fed babies. Mothers

who

eat

of dairy foods and other high-toxin foods accumulate the

toxins in their breast milk and pass pesticides to their infants.

on

industrial pollutants

And what about

all

and

the pesticide-

contaminated ice cream our children eat?

The

simple fact

products

is

that pesticide contamination of dairy

is

Government

pervasive.

dairy monitoring

files

reveal that contaminated products are sold throughout the

Food and Drug Administration records

country.

indicate, for

example, that virtually 100 percent of the cheese produced and sold in the United States has detectable pesticide residues.

we

discuss the myriad industrial pollution

lems in dairy foods, you

will see

As

and pesticide prob-

how much

cleaning up of our

food supply needs to be accompHshed.

Dairy products are also linked, together with raw-egg dishes, to at least one-tenth of the food-poisoning cases in this

country every year. nella poisoning,

Most of

people, and those with

The

these cases are Hsteria or salmo-

which can be deadly to

fetuses, babies, elderly

weakened immune systems.

listeria bacteria

favor moist, soft cheeses such as Brie,

blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican cheeses. Harder cheeses

have

less

moisture and higher

acidity,

which prevents bacteria

from multiplying. Persons with strong immune systems can 195

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

subdue the

without discomfort. But

listeria bacteria

children, the elderly,

among

and immune-weakened people, the death

rate in reported listeriosis cases also lead to meningitis

19 percent. Listeriosis can

is

and encephalitis, which have

a

70 per-

cent fatality rate in reported cases.

To

avoid this danger, pregnant and nursing

elderly,

and people who are

ill

women,

the

or institutionalized should be

very cautious about unpasteurized dairy products and soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses. Dairy Foods Survival Guide

Green

These

Light

are the least toxic dairy foods available.

two servings of dairy foods Buttermilk.

The FDA

a

day from

Choose your

this Hst.

Total Diet Study found only three

pesticide residues in thirty-six samples of buttermilk, repre-

DDT and penta. One cup

senting two pesticide formulations,

of buttermilk has only

1.3

grams of saturated

ligrams of cholesterol. Buttermilk safe

Chocolate milk

(fluid).

industrial

thirty-six samples.

an excellent, relatively

is

Chocolate milk poses

pesticide residues

The

little risk.

were detected

only contaminant found was

in

DDE.

cancer risk as a result of industrial pollutant and pesticide

contamination in chocolate milk

One cup fat

and 9 mil-

food choice.*

Only seven

The

fat

is

relatively insignificant.

of low-fat chocolate milk has

3 1 .

grams of saturated

and 17 milligrams of cholesterol. Cottage cheese (4 percent milk fat).

Two

pesticide formu-

lations were found in creamed cottage cheese with only nine-

teen total residues, which was a big enough improvement to

move

cottage cheese from red to green light.

detected were

196

DDE

and

dieldrin.

The

pesticides

Eating around two ounces

David Steinman

daily

would

result in a cancer risk of thirteen excess cancers in

one million persons, according to the

earlier results.

One cup

of large-curd cottage cheese has 6.4 grams of saturated

34

When

milligrams of cholesterol.

you shop

fat

and

for cottage

cheese, purchase the product with the lowest percentage of

milk

fat,

preferably

icantly reduce

1

or 2 percent, or nonfat.

your intake of saturated

fat

That will

signif-

and your exposure

to pesticides.

Cream

substitute.

were found. This

is

Two

DDE

chemicals,

and malathion,

safer than half-and-half.

Low-fat milk (2 percent

fat).

Only nineteen

pesticide

residues were found in thirty-six samples of low-fat milk rep-

resenting four pesticide formulations.

detected most frequently.

occurred

less frequently.

The

cancer risk as a result of pesticide

contamination of low-fat milk fat

DDE and dieldrin were

Endosulfan and methoxychlor

is

insignificant.

milk has 2.9 grams of saturated

fat

One cup

of low-

and 18 milligrams of

cholesterol.

Low-fat (plain) yogurt. Only eight pesticide residues representing two pesticide formulations,

were detected

The

DDE

and endosulfan,

in thirty-six samples of plain low-fat yogurt.

concentrations at which these pesticides were detected

presented an insignificant cancer

risk.

One

eight-ounce con-

tainer of plain low- fat yogurt provides 125 calories, 0.3

of saturated

fat,

and only 4 milHgrams of cholesterol. Obvi-

ously, nonfat yogurt, because of its very is

grams

low milk

fat

content,

an even safer choice. Substitute low-fat or nonfat yogurt for

butter in baked potatoes and other dishes calling for butter,

mayonnaise, or sour cream.

Milk shakes

It's

also perfect as a salad dressing.

(chocolate, fast food).

Eighteen pesticide

residues were detected in chocolate milk shakes representing

three pesticide formulations: chlorpyrifos,

DDE,

and

dieldrin.

Chocolate milk shakes provide a relatively significant source of

197

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

calories, saturated fat,

and cholesterol.

One

thick ten-ounce

chocolate shake provides 335 calories, 4.8 grams of saturated

and 30 milligrams of cholesterol. Although only chocolate

fat,

milk shakes were tested, you should assume that other flavors have similar

Skim milk choices of all. resenting

of pesticides.

levels

(nonfat milk). This

is

Skim milk had only four

DDE). One cup

one of the

safety dairy

pesticide residues (rep-

of skim milk has only 0.3 grams of

saturated fat and 4 milligrams of cholesterol.

YeWow

Light

Only three

dairy foods

fit

in the yellow light grouping.

Limit

your consumption of these foods. They contain pesticides

combined with saturated milk.

Ice

vanilla ice tions. least

fat

There were

and cholesterol. thirty-five

residues in

pesticide

milk representing seven different pesticide formula-

The FDA found BHC, DDT,

dieldrin,

and

HCB

in at

one-fourth of the samples and heptachlor, octachlor, and

penta

less frequently.

Eating slightly

less

than two ounces daily

of vanilla ice milk would result in at least five excess cancers in a million persons,

and

which

less significant risk.

milk

fat)

is

on the border between

One cup

a significant

of vanilla ice milk (4 percent

contains 3.5 grams of saturated fat and 18 milHgrams

of cholesterol. You should assume that other flavors of ice milk

have similar

levels

Margarine

of pesticides.*

(stick,

regular, salted).

Some

167 industrial

pollutant and pesticide residues were found in thirty-six samples of margarine representing eighteen pesticide formulations.

Detected in

at least

one-fourth of the samples were

1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate, ethyl benzene, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, triphenyl

phosphate, and xylene, a veritable galaxy of petroleum synthetics.

198

Some

of the pesticides and industrial pollutants

David Steinman

detected less frequently included 1,1,1-trichloroethane, benzene, chloroform, dichlorobenzene, and trichloroethylene.

Although margarine

is

much

safer than butter in terms of

and saturated

pesticide saturation, cholesterol,

you should

fat,

Be wary of

nevertheless limit your margarine consumption.

misleading ads claiming that margarine

The

terol.

oils

terol levels

fats,

which dramatically increase serum choles-

still

help our bodies

spoon of margarine (80 percent

.

1

even partially hydrogenated

oils that are

and change the entire shape of your

their oils can

1

from choles-

Even though margarines may contain no

branes.

fat.

free

used in margarine are usually hydrogenated,

and any vegetable contain trans

is

One

make

fat)

cholesterol.

One

vegetable

oils

such

as

fat.

table-

has 2.2 grams of saturated

tablespoon of imitation margarine (40 percent

grams of saturated

mem-

cell

cholesterol,

fat)

has

For cooking, substitute unsaturated

avocado, canola, corn, olive, and sesame.

Yogurt with fruit. Thirty-two pesticide residues representing five different pesticide formulations were detected in thirty-six

samples of yogurt with

fruit.

DDT,

endosulfan, and

vinclozolin were found in at least one-fourth of the samples, dicofol and dieldrin in fewer.

yogurt

is

The

relatively insignificant.

(dicofol, vinclozolin,

cancer risk from eating fruit

Most of the

pesticides

found

and endosulfan) resulted not from dairy

contamination but also from the apphcation of chemical pesticides to the strawberries used in the samples that

You have

a

much

safer option.

which

is

grown

berries or other fruits.*

very pure, and mix

it

Buy

plain,

were

tested.

nonfat yogurt,

with low-toxin or organically

Red Ught

The

foods in this red light section are the most dangerous

dairy products. at least

I

—or

have cut them completely out of my diet

have tried to substitute organic

as

much

as possible.

199

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

dairy

them as seldom as possible or seek out organic products made with milk from cows fed a pesticide-free

diet.

Good

You should

Guide

eat

products are available; see the Personal Action

in this book.

Butter (regular^ salted). If you thought that high cholesterol

and saturated

fat levels

were the only problems in

butter,

well, here's the sad truth: pesticides are another serious danger.

some cheeses have

Butter and tions of

the highest pesticide concentra-

any dairy foods. This should completely convince you

that butter

bad news.

is

Now don't

get

me

wrong.

The

cide levels in dairy products such as butter and cheese

all

government standards. But government standards proindustry that they are, in

effect, a license for

pesti-

meet

are

so

the wholesale

poisoning of America. You have to take responsibility for the safety of your food.

why

That's

Government

I just

hasn't.

much

spent probably twice as

to

buy

a

pound of Horizon organic butter. I know it was a lot more. But, somehow, knowing what I know about chemical butter, I just felt this I just can't

is

the only choice

going forward

let

In the

—and sometimes

tants

all

I

with myself.

have to find a way to keep

it is

my brothers

live

hard but

and

I feel like

I'm

am

not

sisters,

and

I

you down.

FDAs

the nation

can make and

go back to the old ways.

fighting for you, for

going to

I

study of thirty-six butter samples from around

some 384

residues of pesticides and industrial pollu-

were found representing some thirty-two pesticides and

pollutants. Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

BHC, chloroform,

DDE (in every sample), dichlorobenzene, dieldrin (thirty-three of thirty-six market baskets), endosulfan, ethyl benzene, heptahclor,

hexachlorobenzene, Hndane, octachlor, styrenem tetra-

chloroethylene, tolene, and xylene appeared most frequently.

Butter

American 200

is

one of the most frequently eaten foods in the

diet.

Given the large amounts of butter we

eat

and

— David Steinman

the high concentrations of pesticides and pollutants in

it,

butter alone will cause at least several thousand excess cancer cases

among people

living today.

According to

a

major food

consumption study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average butter-eating American eats about one-half table-

spoon of butter Americans I

who

daily.

Among

the approximately 76 million

eat butter regularly, the risk of cancer

worked out using

translated into as

a standard cancer risk assessment

many

as

—which

formula

seventy-one excess cancer cases a

year in a million persons;

we should

hundred Americans

today to get cancer from the pesti-

alive

expect roughly fifty-four

cides lodged in butter.

In addition, one tablespoon of butter has 7.1 grams of cholesterol.

Even one pat of butter has

saturated fat and

So learn not jelly alone.

1 1

a

whopping

to always use butter

Enjoy low-fat yogurt or

on your

salsa

Cook

toast;

with unsaturated veg-

At

restaurants, ask

that your vegetables be served without butter. in general, or save

it

as a

use jam or

on your baked potato

etable oils, not with butter or margarine.

it

grams of

milligrams of cholesterol.

instead of butter or sour cream.

without

2.5

Learn to do

once-a-month

treat if

some food you feel cries out for it. Or, better yet, cough up the dough and buy the organic butter. While it probably won't be completely free, either, of some of the older dinosaur there's

petrochemical pesticides nificantly greater

like

tendency to

DDE,

it

will certainly

sig-

purity.

Cheese (cheddar). Like butter, most cheese

The FDA

have

is

bad news.

tested thirty-six samples of cheddar cheese

from

around the nation. There were 171 pesticide and industrial chemical residues in the samples representing some twentyfive pesticides

Chloroform,

were found

and their metabolites or

DDE,

industrial chemicals.

dieldrin, heptachlor, toluene,

and xylene

in at least one-quarter of the samples. Pesticides

201

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

and industrial chemicals detected

less

frequently were 1,1>1-

trichloroethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,2-dichloroethene,

azinphos-methyl, benzene, diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate,

HCB,

styrene,

This

serious contamination, the result of years of pesticide

use,

is

tetrachloroethylene,

which has laced our

soil

and trichloroethylene.

with poisons. These poisons taint

crops and are then concentrated in the milk of dairy cows that

on those

feed

crops.

The high fat content of cheddar and other One ounce of

cheeses concentrates the toxins even more.

cheddar cheese has a whopping 6 grams of saturated milligrams of cholesterol as well, making hazard.

The

it

a multiple health

average cheese-eating American eats a

than an ounce of cheddar cheese

sumption pattern, we can expect cancers in a million persons.

daily.

as

—

con-

this

as thirty-six excess

That makes cheddar

other high-fat nonorganic cheese

little less

Based on

many

and 10

fat

—and any

a high-risk food.

Learn to

look for low-fat cheeses or substitute other foods. Excellent organic tofu cheese substitutes are available at health food markets. Limit yourself to a small helping of cheese as a treat

every couple of weeks, or buy organic cheese.

Cream cheese. Cream cheese and a bagel just took on a whole new meaning. There were 173 contaminant residues in cream cheese, representing some nineteen

distinct chemicals,

including (most frequently) chloroform (twenty-two of thirtysix samples),

of

DDE (thirty-six of thirty-six), dieldrin (thirty- four

thirty-six),

heptahclor (thirteen), and toluene (seventeen).

Stay with certified organic cream cheese.

And

if

make

sure

it

want

to be careful with the Kraft,

Nonfat

is

likely to

have

far

you is

really

nonfat.

fewer chemical contaminants.

Evaporated milk (canned). Forty-six residues representing eight formulations were found in thirty-six samples. Pesticides detected

most frequently were

DDE

(twenty-nine

of thirty-six) and dieldrin (10). Pesticides and other toxic

202

David Steinman

chemicals detected

frequently were

less

endrin, heptachlor, lindane, and toluene.

BHC, chlordane, One cup of canned

evaporated whole milk has 11.6 grams of saturated

fat

and 74

milligrams of cholesterol.

Half-and-half cream. There were tants

fifty-six industrial pollu-

and pesticide residues representing ten formulations in samples of half-and-half. Pesticides detected most

thirty-six

frequently were

DDE,

and heptachlor. Pesticides and

dieldrin,

industrial pollutants detected less fi-equently

HCB,

were chloroform,

methoxychlor, octachlor, permethrin, and xylene. In

addition,

one tablespoon of cream, the amotint used in one cup

of coffee, provides 1.8 grams of saturated

may not seem

of cholesterol. That

fat

and 10 miUigrams

like a lot.

But

after a

few

cups of coffee and a few tablespoons of cream, the pesticides

add up.

The industrial pollutants and

you unwittingly ingest

in half-and-half should offer

contained in saturated pesticides

fat

another reason for eliminating

cream if you

substitutes

made with

want to avoid

it

from your

vegetable

diet.

Powdered

oils are a better

industrial pollutant

choice

and pesticide residues.

One tablespoon of cream substitute has no cholesterol and only grams of saturated fat. And powdered cream substitutes are far purer. They have only one-ninth the number of pesticides, 0.7

at

significantly

detected

in

lower concentrations; the three pesticides

powdered

cream

substitutes

(chlorpyrifos,

malathion, and penta) are far less potent and easier for our bodies to metabolize than the pesticides found in cream.

Of

course, heavy whipping

cream

laden than half-and-half. Sour cream

is

is

much more

pesticide

also Ukely to be pesti-

cide saturated. Ice

cream (vanilla-flavored,

were found, with chloroform, and Processed cheese

light). Fifty-seven

chemicals

DDE was the most frequent.

(American). In thirty-six samples of

American processed cheese, there were 168 pesticide and 203

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

industrial chemical residues representing

different pesticides

DDE,

and

dieldrin, toluene,

the samples;

industrial

some twemty-one

chemicals.

Chloroform,

and xylene were found in

1,1,1-trichloroe thane,

a quarter

of

1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

HCB, styrene, and frequentiy. One ounce of

chlorobenzene, endosulfan, heptachlor, tetrachloroethylene appeared less

American process cheese has

5.6

grams of saturated

milligrams of cholesterol. Processed cheese

is

as

fat

and 27

dangerous

as

butter and hard cheese.

Soft cheeses. Soft, processed Mexican-style cheese products

can be extremely dangerous. In 1985, more than 48 deaths (including stillbirths) and 150 illnesses in the

West were

linked

with eating listeria-contaminated cheese manufactured by

Mexican Products, of

Jalisco

Artesia, California, a

Mexican

food company, which has since closed.

are

Unfortunately,

many producers

mom-and-pop

operations in which cheeses are produced in

poor sanitary conditions. Some

of Mexican-style soft cheeses

soft cheese

producers operate

out of their garages. In 1989 the Los Angeles shut

down seven

whom stir

district attorney

California soft cheese producers,

some of

reportedly used rusty pipes and toilet bowl brushes to

the milk that was being processed into cheese.

These

soft

cheeses were then sold from door to door and by street ven-

dors throughout southern California and as far north as San Francisco.

Avoid purchasing unlabeled

soft cheeses,

and don't buy soft

cheeses from street vendors or door-to-door vendors. In '

supermarkets and neighborhood grocery stores, avoid Mexican soft cheeses sold in large blocks without labels. Products that are teria

most likely to be poisoned with dangerous

are queso fresco, queso

listeria

bac-

afiejo (also called cotija cheese),

panela cheeses, manchego, queso enchilada, queso jalapeno,

requeson, and adobera cheeses.

204

— David Steinman

Beware of these brands of Mexican-style distributed throughout the recalled

due to

listeria

West

—that

soft cheese

have had products

contamination: Ariza Cheese Company,

Cacique Fine Foods, and Rodeo brand cheese. Rodeo, whose products are distributed in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas, also produces cheese under

two private

Jimenez

labels:

queso fresco and Jimenez adobera (distributed in Texas). Brie and other imported soft cheeses can also have bacterial infestations. British chief medical officer

warned consumers

in

Donald Acheson

February 1989 that pregnant

women

should not eat soft cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, and blueveined cheeses because infection from the Hsteria bacteria could cause miscarriage or porarily,

Belgium recently banned, tem-

stillbirth.

French Camembert because of hsteria contamination.

In 1987, twenty- four persons died during one European out-

break of listeriosis, which was traced to a Swiss soft cheese.

The French

rate of listeriosis

lion persons; the U.S. rate

is

is

about 11.3 cases in

about 3.6 per miUion.

I

a mil-

suspect

that the higher rate in France can be attributed in part to sig-

consumption of soft cheeses such

nificantly higher

Do

not misunderstand

my message:

one should eat Brie or other people

elderly,

women who listeriosis

are

I'm saying that the

immune-weakened,

children,

and

are pregnant or nursing are especially at risk for

soft cheeses

problems

Italian producer,

as well.

from

Italy have, in the past,

Cheeses made by Mauri,

a

posed

northern

were taken off the American market more

than three years ago because of ever, the

I'm not saying that no

soft cheeses.

and should avoid these foods.

Imported hsteria

who

as Brie.

listeria

contamination.

government has allowed Mauri

How-

to once again begin

selhng cheeses in the United States. Other Itahan cheeses that

have had

listeria

contamination include Taleggio, Tortalpina,

D'Aravaggio, and Gorgonzola.

205

— Diet for a Poisoned Planet

I

have some good news: America's favorite soft cheese

cream cheese

from

listeria

—has

a clean bill

of health and appears to be free

or salmonella contamination. However,

it is

prob-

ably high in pesticides and should be eaten very seldom for that reason.

Swiss cheese. You can't chemicals in your food.

flee to the

How

Swiss for protection from

disappointing:

tion, Swiss cheese certainly isn't neutral

pesticide residues. Swiss cheese

on

close inspec-

when

it

comes

to

had 160 different pesticide and

industrial chemical residues representing twenty-five different pesticides, metabolites,

dieldrin

were each

in

and industrial chemicals. thirty of thirty-six

DDE

and

market baskets.

Toluene was in 18 and heptahclor in one-third. Also detected

were

1,1,1-trichlorethane,

1,2-4-trimethylbenzene.

BHC,

dichlorobenzene, benzene,

chlorotoluene,

1,2-

HCB,

Hn-

dane, styrene, trichloroethylene, and xylene. Better clean off that Swiss

army

knife next time

Whole milk. The

you

slice

some Swiss

cheese.

FDA food study found sixty-seven pesti-

cide and industrial chemical residues in thirty-six samples of

whole milk representing twelve

different pesticides,

metabolites or industrial chemicals. Chloroform, dieldrin

zene,

were found in

at least a quarter

their

DDE,

and

of the samples; ben-

and toluene were some of the

tetrachloroethylene,

petrochemical delights that occurred

less frequently.

This

is

only about one-third the level of saturation of butter and

cheddar cheese. But two other families of synthetic chemicals

found in milk are of tremendous concern, warranting the inclusion of whole milk in this red light section.

The

regulatory history of milk

is

a

prime example of an

industry that has been guilty of severe lapses of safety.

pose two questions:

Why should

Have they earned our

In 1982, Hawaiian dairy

206

we The answer is an farmers on Oahu

trust?

I

must

trust the dairy industry?

unequivocal no. fed dairy cows

David Steinman

heptachlor-contaminated sugarcane, which contaminated the herds.

The

heptachlor-tainted milk was then sold without

and allowed to invade and contaminate the bodies

restriction

of thousands of men,

women, and

children. Heptachlor

is

a

very strong carcinogen and causes birth defects. Mothers in

Hawaii must stop breast-feeding their children or

risk breast-

feeding their newborns heptachlor-tainted milk. Hawaiian children have suffered significantly elevated instances of ness.

ill-

But the contamination threat wasn't limited to Hawaii.

Several years

later,

bodies of men,

same period

—

heptachlor-contaminated milk invaded the

women, and

children in Arkansas. During this

in the early 1980s

—the industry was

also forced

to recall heptachlor-contaminated milk distributed in Texas,

Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Again, innocent

newborns

will

be victimized for years to come. In Arkansas, 70

percent of nursing mothers examined during the early 1980s

had heptachlor-contaminated breast milk. This contamination was so severe that they were advised not to breast-feed dren because of high levels of milk.

this pesticide in their breast

Our children should not be exposed

to a carcinogen thir-

teen to twenty-six times rriore powerful than like

chil-

DDT Pesticides

heptachlor represent a very dangerous toxic exposure for

both unborn children and babies.

These unsettling heptachlor-contamination episodes

are

occasional dramatic tragedies. However, the historic use of

sulfamethazine in dairy cows represents

a.

chronic and far more

disturbing and flagrant violation of safe food laws. Serious violations of federal health standards have occurred

throughout

the 1980s for the drug sulfamethazine in dairy products. dict that further studies will reveal that

our milk supply

I

is

pre-

con-

taminated also with traces of penicillin, tetracycline, and other antibiotics

and that we

will

be hearing disturbing reports

about drug residues in milk for a long time.

When

you add 207

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

cream to your coffee do you residues of sulfamethazine?

you

really

not!

But

really

want

When you

to ingest low-level

drink milk at night do

want another dose of sulfamethazine? Of course

that's

what you

get, thanks to the

American dairy

industry!

In a 1987

FDA study,

milk samples collected from super-

markets in ten American

cities

were analyzed for sulfamet-

hazine. Residues were detected so frequently in milk samples that the regulation against use of sulfamethazine in dairy

was found to be

a joke

—

a sick joke.

But who was

cows

sick?

The

overcrowded dairy cows? Sulfa-sensitive persons? Or the dairy industry that flouted the regulations banning the use of

sulfamethazine in milk?

we

And where was

trusted to enforce safe food laws?

store?

And how long had

the government that

Who

was minding the

this flagrant violation

gone on

before being discovered? Overall, 41 percent of the samples

were contaminated with sulfamet-

in this ten-city survey

hazine. Carcinogenicity studies of rats and mice indicate that

sulfamethazine

human

may well be

a

human carcinogen,

affecting the

thyroid gland.

According to the milk with

FDA survey, these producers were selling

illegal residues

of sulfamethazine:

Adanta: Kinnett Baltimore: Lueis, Lucerne, Embassy, Highs, and Giant

Boston:

Cumbedand

Farms,

Hood

Star,

Stop

& Shop, and

West Lynn Brooklyn: Food Club, Crowley, and Byrne

Chicago: Muiler, South Valley, Dean Food, and Kraml Dallas:

Kroger

Denver: Sintons,

Oak

Farms, and Lucerne

Kansas City, Missouri: Price Choppers, Lucerne, Zarda,

Anderson, Erickson, and Fairmont

San Francisco: Berkeley Farms, Carnation, and Lady Lee

208

David Steinman

Seattle:

Carnation, My-T-Fine, Darigold, Lucerne, and

Vita-Milk

Some

dairy producers

These

came out with

a clean bill of health.

whom

you should patronize.

are the dairy producers

who

They're the ones

care about your family's health.

Atlanta: Flav-O-Rich, Kroger,

Brooklyn: Dairylea and

and Mathis Dairy

Meadow Brook

Chicago: Heritage House Dallas: Borden, Cabell's,

Denver: Cream

Government

and Schepps

O 'Weber

officials

claim the sulfamethazine problem

is

imder control. They say that the industry has voluntarily curbed

its

use of this chemical. However, the problem

widespread than the government concedes.

The

is

more

limits cur-

rently being used to detect sulfamethazine in milk are almost

twice as high as the levels at which sulfamethazine

found.

Thus

it is

possible that the

trolled as carefully as the

problem

government

is

is

usually

not being con-

claims. In addition dairy

producers have switched from sulfamethazine to other drugs that the

government cannot

detect. It

is

well

known

that

drugs not registered for use with dairy cows are, in

many

fact, in

widespread use. For example, the Wall Street Journal vt^ovitd in

1989 that 38 percent of milk tested from

New

York,

Philadelphia, MinneapoHs-St. Paul, and Boston was tainted

with residues of sulfa drugs and streptomycin at levels from five to

one hundred parts per biUion. The Center for Science

in the Public Interest

found

sulfa residues in

20 percent of the

milk sampled from the Washington-Baltimore area.

Dioxin residues also taint our milk.

The Health

Branch of Canada has reported extremely low (in the parts

per

trillion

Protection

levels of dioxin

range) in several samples of milk and

209

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

cream that were packaged

in bleached milk cartons

tured in the United States. Dioxin, which

manufac-

by-product of

a

is

the process used to bleach paper products, had migrated from the cartons to the milk. Very likely U.S. milk products are similarly tainted.

minor aspects of the dioxin

Scientists quibble over

but there

is

no question

that

we should reduce our

The 2,3,7,8-TCDD form

470,000 times more potent expert noted that the

EPA

of dioxin in our milk

as a

ment group found unacceptable tested in

1

carcinogen than

is

at least

DDT. One

has compared the chronic toxicity

of dioxin with that of plutonium!

dietary exposure to

exposures

whenever pos-

to environmental contaminants such as dioxin sible.

threat,

The EPA's carcinogen assesshuman cancer risk at chronic

part per trillion dioxin, the lowest dose

mammals, and concluded

that dioxin

most potent carcinogens known, with no

is

safe dose.

among

the

Dioxin

is

a

cancer promoter and a cocarcinogen, a kind of all-purpose car-

cinogen that not only

may cause

cancer but also enhances and

speeds up cancers triggered by other carcinogens.

Government

regulators and the paper industry have tried

to quell public concern, saying that low-level dioxin exposure is

is

human health problems. The real truth that cancer incidence rates keep increasing, and much of the

not likely to result in

cause will eventually be seen to be cumulative toxic exposures as a result

of pervasive industrial and chemical pollution. Here

we have one of

the most carcinogenic

The

appearing in our milk!

some

fish as well as

—

milk

is

compounds known

dioxin problem

—prevalent

in

plainly out of control. Regulating

the pulp paper mills that produce milk cartons and enacting a

zero-tolerance policy for dioxin in milk would be logical places to start gaining the

upper hand with

urgent today as the chlordane,

DDT,

problems were two decades ago.

210

this

problem, which

dieldrin,

A law calling

is

as

and heptachlor for labeling of

David Steinman

products containing dioxin would also help. industry says

its

The

paper

products are safe and that the amount of

dioxin that migrates into food

is

nobody

so low that

will

be

harmed. But with labeling, consumers could decide for them-

what

selves

is safe.

In Sweden, manufacturers of toilet paper, tampons, paper towels, food containers, disposable diapers, and other paper

products have begun to use unbleached pulp, which

England and Germany market

dioxin.

unbleached food cartons.

The marketing

a

is

free of

wide range of

of unbleached paper

products in America has just begun.

For now, the best way dioxin

is

to

part of an

buy milk

to protect yourself

from

traces of

in glass containers. Plastic containers are

enormous waste problem

in America,

and there may

be some migration of plasticizers into the milk product. Glass,

which can be

easily recycled, is the sensible choice.

Companies

such as Organic Valley and Horizon have gone to great lengths to reduce or completely eliminate

any traces of dioxin in their

cartons and dairy products.

In

November

approved the cally

sale

1993, the

Food and Drug Administration

of milk from cows injected with the geneti-

engineered (recombinant) bovine growth hormone to

increase milk production. Although this synthetic differs chemically, biologically,

natural

hormone

and immunologically from the

hormone, the Food and Drug Administration warned

dairy producers and distributors against using "hormone-free" labels

on milk from cows not given rBGH, claiming

would be

"false or

misleading" as there

is

that this

"no significant

dif-

ference between milk from treated and untreated cows."

Acting on

rBGH,

this regulation,

Monsanto, the manufacturer of

has sued Midwest and other milk producers for using

hormone-free labeling. Today, however, Monsanto "has

abandoned"

all

lost or

of the labeling lawsuits.

211

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

The Food and Drug Administration

guidelines were devel-

oped by then-deputy commissioner Michael Taylor, former counsel to Monsanto and the biotechnology industry.

The

guidehnes reflect flagrant disregard of consumers' right to

know and

are scientifically flawed.

Bovine growth hormone poses and,

more important,

wide range of veterinary

public health hazards. Yet

it

has

become

and the Food and Drug Administration

clear that industry

have conspired to suppress or differences

a

trivialize these

well-documented

between hormonal and nonhormonal milk.

Bovine growth hormone degrades the quality of dairy prod-

The Food and rBGh (Posilac),

ucts, including increasing their fat concentration.

Drug Administration-approved

label insert for

that only dairy farmers see, admits that

its

"use

is

associated with

increased frequency of use of medication in cows for [infected udders], mastitis, and other health problems."

data also reveal

up

Monsanto own 's

to an 80 percent incidence of mastitis, an

udder infection, in hormone-treated

cattie, resulting in

contam-

ination of milk with pus and bacteria. Furthermore, treatment

of mastitis requires use of antibiotics, some of which are carcinogenic, with additional risks of allergic reactions and devel-

opment of antibiotic Additionally,

markedly increased

growth division

of the growth factor, insulin-like

which stimulates and regulates

and maturation. Cows

which

The

levels

factor- 1 (IGF-1),

mone show heavy cells,

resistance in consumers.

rBGH-treated cows produce milk with

is

cell

injected with the biotech hor-

concentration of IGF-1 in breast (udder)

not seen in untreated cows.

high residues of IGF-1

in

rBGH

milk are not

destroyed, but rather increased, by pasteurization. Further-

more, the growth factor in the

human

not destroyed by digestive enzymes

gut, particularly as

normal protein in milk.

212

is

it is

protected by casein, a

David Steinman

Food and Drug Administration publication disclosing secret Monsanto tests, feeding to mature rats for only two weeks resulted in statistically significant increases in body and liver weights and bone length. These effects were seen at a small fraction of doses given to control rats. By manipulating these data, the milk industry and the Food and Drug AdminIn a 1990

istration alleged that

IGF-1

"lacks oral toxicity." Furthermore,

Food and Drug Administration nor Monsanto has investigated the effects of long-term feeding of IGF-1 -treated milk on growth of infant rats or primates, let alone human neither the

risks.

A

recent detailed analysis of the scientific literature, pub-

lished in a prestigious international public-health journal, con-

human

cluded that a

infant drinking

rBGH

milk would be

exposed to approximately double normal blood levels of IGF1,

levels over

one hundred times greater than standard

margins. Moreover, IGF-1 in milk from treated cows

more potent than

is

safety

much

the natural hormone. It was farther con-

cluded that the supercharged levels of IGF- 1 in dairy products

from treated cows pose potential

risks

of breast cancer by stim-

ulating division and promoting malignant transformation of

normal breast

known

to

cells

(Appendix

2.6).

Additionally,

IGF-1

is

maintain the malignancy of breast cancers,

increasing their invasiveness and spread, and to protect cancer cells

from

grammed

their

cell

normal tendency

to

self-destruct

(pro-

death or apoptosis). This could well lead to the

stimulation of growth and invasiveness of undetected, early, noninvasive, and relatively benign localized cancers, such as

milkduct cancer.

High

levels

of IGF-1 are also likely to pose risks of colon

cancer as noted in a recent scientific publication and national press conference, recently reported in the popular press in

USA

Today. Further evidence for this

is

based on evidence of

213

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

sharply increased rates of colon cancer

among people with

gigantism (acromegaly), a pituitary gland disorder in which the body produces high levels of IGF- 1

.

Of further and

importance, recent evidence has confirmed that there tistically significant increase in

breast cancer in

women

critical

is

a sta-

the incidence and mortality of

with gigantism.

Even the highly conservative American Medical Associa1991 expressed concerns over increased IGF-1 levels

tion, in

milk:

in

"Further studies will be required to determine

whether the ingestion of higher than normal concentrations of bovine insulinlike growth factor

safe for children, adoles-

is

cents and adults."

The

opposite of further study

is

unrestricted sale of unla-

beled milk to consumers.

Bovine growth hormone use

and Canada. However, with the

is

now

prohibited in Europe

active complicity of the

and Drug Administration, the United States

is

Food

currently being

subjected to an experiment involving large-scale adulteration

of an age-old dietary staple by a poorly characterized and unlabeled biotechnology product. Disturbingly, this experiment benefits only a very small

segment of the

agri chemical industry

while providing no matching benefits to consumers. Even

more

disturbingly,

for the entire

it

poses major potential public health risks

United States population.

Because of low-level residues of antibiotics, cides, dioxin,

and

BGH,

of them a pediatrician,

who

milk. Unfortunately,

don't

whole milk that otics, fats

214

and

up

is

may be concerned about children. I know two doctors, one

parents

feeding whole milk to their

I

sulfa drugs, pesti-

will

not feed their children whole

know of any

suppliers of organic

guaranteed to be free of pesticides, antibi-

sulfa drugs.

Remember, children need

to age two, so don't risk switching

a lot

of dairy

from whole milk

to

David Steinman

skim without finding

substitute source of dairy

a

which

course, organic milk,

is

widely available

now

Of

fat.

at super-

markets and health food stores, helps to considerably reduce

amount of contamination. Organic cheeses

the

which you can give your child getting essential dairy

fats,

daily to

too.

make

are available,

sure he or she

is

Organic yogurt could be

another source. You can also make yogurt cheese. See the

shopping

tips section

and the Personal Action Guide for infor-

mation on the yogurt cheese funnel. Shopping Tips

Always buy low-fat or nonfat milk and yogurt, and look for the coldest, freshest products in the store.

tenth as as

many

many pesticide

Skim milk has only one-

residues as whole milk and one-eighth

as low-fat milk.

Bacteria such as salmonella or listeria can

product, not just cheese. tion, always

To

cut

down

grow in any dairy

the risk of contamina-

buy U.S. Extra Grade milk from government-

inspected plants, and do not buy unpasteurized milk.

Choose

Hot air rises, and shelves may not be cold

milk from the lower refrigerator shelves. temperatures on the higher storage

enough is

to prevent the

minimal for

growth of listeria and salmonella (40°F

safe storage), so finding the coldest

product

is

important. Find the freshest milk by checking the date on the

Buy milk and other dairy products last, and store them when you get home. Don't pour unused milk from the

carton. first

table

back into the bottle or carton.

a separate glass jar.

Throw it out or

Milk that has been out

ture for even a few minutes has already

at

begun

store

it

in

room tempera-

to be invaded

by

multiplying bacteria, so you're pouring additional bacteria

back into your milk, speeding up the spoilage. milk in teria,

a separate jar,

use

it

for cooking,

If you save table

which destroys bac-

not for drinking.

215

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

When

buying cheese, be aware that cheeses labeled "nat-

ural" could contain chemicals such as

potential carcinogen that

is

used to

hydrogen peroxide,

sterilize milk,

zoyl peroxide, used to bleach milk. Bulk cheese

a

and ben-

may

well

have preservatives, mold inhibitors, and antimycotics. Grated cheeses may contain mold inhibitors, anticaking agents,

and natural or

on the

label. Certified

artificial flavoring.

organic cheese

is

These must be

a

much

Buying raw (unpasteurized) milk cheese

is

listed

better choice.

no guarantee

that the cheese will be without additives, artificial coloring,

and preservatives or that least

make

it

will

be

fi-om pesticides.

fi*ee

At

sure the label stipulates that nothing artificial has

been added. Brie,

Camembert, and Limburger cheese

is fi*ee

of coloring

and preservatives. Any ammonia smell means these cheeses are past their prime.

Be wary of smoke cheese. Like smoked

fish

and meats, smoked cheese contains carcinogenic compounds that are produced in the

smoking process.

All

smoked

cheeses,

except provolone, are labeled as such.

Try sapsago,

a safe,

dry grating cheese made with

all

skim

milk,

which

Some

people love sapsago; others are not so fond of it. Cheese

is

perfect for the low-toxin, high-energy diet.

producers should note that more cheeses are very

much

needed.

They would

made with skim milk

help to reduce our expo-

sure to pesticides, as well as our consumption of cholesterol

and saturated

An

fat.

excellent nontoxic cheese that

you can make

at

home

is

yogurt cheese. Yogurt cheese made with nonfat yogurt gives

you the

rich taste of

pesticides.

And

it is

whole milk cheese without dangerous

easy to

make with cheesecloth or

a

yogurt

cheese fiinnel, which you can order by mail. This simple plastic funnel has a microsized

yogurt.

216

You simply

fill

mesh

that

removes whey from

the funnel with yogurt, place the

David Steinman

funnel over a coffee

mug

or drinking glass, and six to twenty-

four hours later you will have yogurt cheese in the funnel. takes thirty-two ounces of yogurt to

yogurt cheese.

I

defy you

It

make about two cups of between

to tell the difference

made with nonfat yogurt and cheesecake made

cheesecake

with fatty dairy products! Yogurt cheese makes a great substitute for

cream cheese, mayonnaise, margarine,

sour cream.

It

butter,

and

can even replace butter at the dinner table and

the sour cream served with baked potatoes. for cheesecake, for layering lasagna,

Try yogurt cheese

and for dips and spreads.

See the Personal Action Guide for ordering information for a

yogurt cheese funnel.

Buy organic

cheeses.

There

are

many

now

dairies

pro-

ducing chemical-free and low-fat cheeses. North Farm cheeses

made with organic

are ical

fertilizers,

milk;

antibiotics,

no

herbicides, pesticides,

chem-

or hormones are used. This

Madison, Wisconsin, company's organic cheeses are

certified

by the Organic Crop Improvement Association. Dairy farmers working with North Farm must have practiced an organic pro-

gram

for a

minimum

of three years. Cheese varieties include

milk and aged cheddar, low-fat/low-sodium cheddar, colby,

monterey pepper

jack,

jack,

muenster, mozzarella, provolone, string,

and lacy

swiss. I

have tested North

and found them free of pesticides limits.

at relatively

Farm

cheeses

low detection

See the Personal Action Guide for more information

about other mail-order organic dairy food suppliers.

Many people wonder whether

they should substitute goat's

milk for cow's milk. Although goat's milk seems to be tolerated better

mind

by persons

sensitive to cow's milk,

that goat's milk

may be

as cow's milk, since it has a

lacks folic acid

and vitamin

the effects of stress.

On

as

in

contaminated with pesticides

higher 6^2,

you should keep

fat

content. Goat's milk also

which are valuable

in fighting

the other hand, goat's milk also has a

217

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

slightly higher calcium content

otic

and tends to have

less antibi-

contamination than cow's milk.

Be wary of imported powdered

milk. In

Mexico

City,

some

seven thousand tons of imported powdered milk were allowed

consumed even though the milk was contaminated with cesium 137 and strontium 90 as a result of fallout from the to be

Chernobyl nuclear accident. Dairy Substitutes

At our home when we cheese that

is less

eat cheese

we

make it organic, and

try to

than organic hardly appeals to

the calories, saturated

fat,

pesticide contamination.

us,

because of

and cholesterol in addition to the

However, we have

also

found excel-

lent dairy substitutes for sandwiches and for grating.

Soya Kaas produces an excellent Hne of cheese substitutes

and for grating. Their excellent hne of cheese

for sandwiches

substitutes are available nationwide at health stores.

They're

tasty.

and natural food

They're convenient. They're made with

organic tofa without chemical additives or preservatives. Varieties include

Nu

Tofu, available

made with organic tofa without chemical or preservatives. Use these tofu cheeses as you would

nationwide, additives

monterey jack and cheddar.

is

also

dairy cheese.

Soy milk adults

is

a fine

milk substitute for older children and

and can be substituted for most milk uses.

lesterol or lactose,

and the

fat in it is

Nutritionally, soy milk has as

much

It

has no cho-

mainly unsaturated.

as thirty times

more

than cow's milk, as well as lecithin and vitamin E.

iron

It lacks

appreciable amounts of vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium, but these nutrients are found in other staples of the high-energy,

low-toxin diet such as

fruits,

vegetables, grains, pure seafood,

and some mineral waters. There are several

excellent, tasty soy

milks available, including Edensoy, Health Valley Soy

218

Moo,

David Steinman

which

I love,

soy milk

Soy Powder, Vitasoy, and Westbrae. Always buy

made with

grown soybeans

organically

to be sure

Nut and grain milks They are made with an almond blend or with cultured rice known as amazake. An unrefined sweetener may be added. They also have less pro-

you're not getting pesticides in your milk.

can also be used in place of cow's milk.

tein, calcium,

When

and vitamins

shopping for

your desire for

A and D

than dairy milk.

buy nonfat yogurt

desserts,

a rich dessert while

following low-toxin

still

guidelines. Nancy's brand nonfat yogurt

yogurts marketed today.

Its

to satisfy

is

one of the best

ingredients are nothing but skim

and beneficial acidophilus and bifidum

milk, nonfat dry milk, bacterial cultures.

Nonfat

home

Bring

yogurt also makes an excellent dessert.

fi-ozen

pack of nonfat frozen yogurt and use

a family

organic fresh fruits for your topping.

Honey

Hills

Farms

nonfat frozen yogurt, available throughout the nation, excellent product for reducing

cutting rated

down your

is

an

your exposure to pesticides and

intake of calories, cholesterol, and satu-

fat.

Other good dairy very low in

fat; Vitari, a

and Tofutti

Lite, a

also very

low in

fat.

from France,

substitutes include Gise,

frozen fruit dessert, virtually nonfat;

nondairy frozen dessert made from tofu, Regular Tofutti, however, has 200 to 275

calories in a four-ounce serving,

calorie alternative dessert.

None

making

it

far

from

a

low-

of these desserts are organic,

but because of their ingredients, they are sure to be very low in pesticide saturation.

Sherbet, with only for dessert or snacks. color,

which should

methods. Sherbet

home,

if a

is

1

or 2 percent milk

Avoid brands with tip

you

off to

fat, is

a

artificial flavor

inferior

a great dessert choice

good choice

when

and

production

dining out. At

craving for something sweet hits you with

full

gale

219

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

force and

you

headed for the supermarket, look

find yourself

for sherbet.

Dole for

fi-uit

sorbet

is

an excellent dessert that

your body than any dairy

is

much

better

dessert. Its ingredients are water,

raspberry puree, sugar, corn syrup, locust bean gum, pectin,

guar gum, grape skin extract (for color), natural citric acid. Sure,

sugar and corn syrup are not the very best

ingredients for your

Compared with

and

flavors,

ice

really big difference

body But we cream. Dole

comes

are talking about trade-offs.

fruit sorbet is excellent.

The

in the area of pesticide saturation;

the sorbet will have far fewer pesticide residues. Cascadian

Farm

makes an organic

also

Water

ice is

another great dessert alternative. Water ices

They have

no milk

ingredients.

egg whites are used. They have very low,

if any, pesti-

are really gems! Instead,

fruit sorbet.

absolutely

cide saturation.

Best of

all,

when you

crave a sweet frozen dessert,

use a blender to create delicious frozen desserts that the low-toxin high-energy diet.

One

of

my

fit

it;

frozen banana slices in a blender; add a handful of in

enough of your

made

at

moderate speed

220

an

a

put the ice,

much

and

until thick

make it runny. and creamy. You have as to

a sinfully delicious dessert that is absolutely healthy

tastes as delicious as

is

favorite organic fruit juice to give the

dessert a fruit-juice flavor but not so

Blend

in with

favorites

banana-fruit dessert: slice a banana and fi-eeze

pour

you can

ice

cream milk shake. Enjoy!

and

David Steinman

Safe Shopping List: Dairy Foods

Number of Residues

Green Light Buttermilk

3

Chocolate milk

7

(fluid)

Cottage cheese (4 percent milk

Cream

fat)

Low-fat milk Low-fat

(2

(plain)

percent

fat)

yogurt

Milk shakes (chocolate,

19 8

fast-food)

Skim milk (nonfat milk)

Yellow Light Ice milk

Margarine

19 2

substitute

18

4

Number

of Residues

35 (stick, regular, salted)

Yogurt with

fruit

Red Light

167 32

Number

of Residues

Butter (regular, salted)

384

Cheese (cheddar)

171

Cream

173

cheese

Evaporated milk (canned) Ice

cream

(vanilla flavored, light)

46 57

Processed cheese (American)

168

Swiss cheese

160

Whole milk

67

221

NINE

Eggs, like meat, are eat far too lesterol,

much

of.

and there

is

a great protein source that

They have a serious

tion of eggs in this country.

exceptionally high

most Americans amoimts of cho-

problem with salmonella contamina-

But from the toxic chemical standpoint,

eggs are better to eat than the worst pesticide-accumulating meats,

such as bologna, frankfurters, ground beef, and salami. eggs overall a yellow light food and try to eat

I

consider

—

them seldom

^unless,

of course, they're from organically raised hens.

Eggs are the most cholesterol-saturated food Americans routinely

consume. There are 213 milligrams of cholesterol

single tgg;

by comparison,

a single frankfurter

in a

has only 2 3 and a ,

cup of ice cream has 59.

Bad

as

they are, eggs are not the worst food for your heart,

because they are relatively low in saturated that dietary saturated fat lesterol

is

more

closely

fats.

And studies show

Hnked than dietary cho-

with elevated blood cholesterol. While

six

ground beef would have 12.4 grams of saturated have only

3.1

grams.

A

one-ounce

slice

ounces of lean fat,

two eggs

of cheddar cheese has

only 30 milligrams of cholesterol but 6 grams of saturated

One cup

fat.

of whole milk has only 33 milligrams of cholesterol, but

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

it

has a

whopping

5.1

grams of saturated

contribute to an increase in levels,

some

but other animal foods are

Eggs may indeed

fat.

individuals' cholesterol

much more

significant

contributors.

Unfortunately, people like to combine eggs with other high-fat foods such as cheese, sausages, bacon, or another fatty

meat.

And

therein

the problem: the combination of these

lies

animal foods can be deadly. I

see eggs as part of the larger animal protein picture. Eggs,

dairy foods, and

meat

are

in the

all

same

boat.

And

study after

study has shown a direct and strong correlation between

who consume

groups of people

and mortality in the 1960s

as a result

—known

saturated fat and cholesterol

of coronary heart disease.

as the

men

seven countries

in

study

—looked

Seven Countries Study

the cholesterol and saturated fat intake of

thousand

One

at

more than twelve

—Finland

Greece,

Italy,

Japan, the Netherlands, the United States, and Yugoslavia.

The

results

were

clear:

those groups of men

who

ate the

most

cholesterol- and saturated-fat-rich foods also suffered the

highest rates of deaths from coronary heart disease.

The message raise total

is

that dietary saturated fat and cholesterol do

blood cholesterol

levels.

cholesterol level, the greater

is

The

higher the total blood

the severity of atherosclerosis;

the greater the severity of atherosclerosis, the greater the risk for coronary heart disease. It

And your

diet

Unfortunately,

is

is

that simple.

the key!

many

doctors today

know

about diet and nutrition and are too eager to therapy to lower cholesterol. If Americans

too

little

initiate

drug

far

knew

the close

interrelationship between diet and high cholesterol, they

could radically limit their intake of fatty dairy foods, eggs, and meat, increase their consumption of plant foods (particularly

whole 224

grains),

and significantly lower their cholesterol without

David Steinman

drugs, adding years to their lives and reducing their risk of

heart disease.

The

drugs in use today for coronary artery dis-

ease often are toxic chemicals with

may not become

effects that

nutritional

Remember

them seldom.

eat

niacin.)

meat and dairy foods,

that eggs, like

So

for lowering cholesterol,

B vitamin

including monitored use of the

risk of heart disease.

adverse side

evident for years. (There are also

available

strategies

many potential

create a

You'll get plenty of

protein elsewhere in the low-toxin, high-energy diet.

remember

not to

And

combine eggs with other high-cholesterol,

high-fat foods like cheese, bacon, sausage, milk, and creamy

One day

sauces.

we'll

all

look back at the bacon-and-eggs

breakfast as another relic of the

American mentality of excess

DDT,

that also brought us gas-guzzling automobiles,

high in

fats

and red meat, and routine consumption of ciga-

and hquor.

rettes

diets

It's

a legacy

we can do

without.

Salmonella Contamination

The

big problem with eggs

is

bacterial contamination, partic-

ularly salmonella contamination. Nationwide, the reported

number of food poisoning

cases linked to eggs

grew from

By 2000, the number United States was more than 182,000.

7,325 in 1974 to about 14,000 in 1986.

of estimated cases in the

(These figures might represent only

number of persons who that

is

cases

reported,

it is

1

to 10 percent of the

For every case

are actually sickened.

estimated that as

many

as

one hundred

go unreported because they are shrugged off as

a

bug or

intestinal flu.)

We used

to think that eggs

were not major

carriers of sal-

monella. Improved sanitary standards and use of disinfectants to

wash eggs

led us to believe that bacterial diseases linked with

eggs had been virtually eliminated. However, from 1985 to 1987, eating uncooked eggs accounted for 77 percent of the

225

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

2,119 salmonella-poisoning cases researchers were able to trace to their sources.

And

eggs,

we now know, have been

the cause

of a dramatic increase in food poisoning in the Northeast.

The number of salmonella-poisoning cases linked

to

Grade

A eggs underwent a six- to sevenfold increase in the Northeast from 1976 to 1986. Only about 550 enteritidis

cases a year oi Salmonella

occurred in the Northeast in the 1970s; one decade

number had jumped

more than 4,000 cases. SalGrade A eggs, the kind sold in supermarkets. Those at highest risk include children under the age of one, pregnant women, and people

later that

monella enteritidis

who

is

most

to

closely associated with

immune compromised,

are

including individuals under-

going cancer treatment and those with AIDS. Until recently, salmonellosis outbreaks had been confined to flocks of chickens in Connecticut, Maine,

New Jersey, New York, Then

mont.

Pennsylvania,

New Hampshire,

Rhode

and Ver-

Island,

the infections spread to flocks in the mountain

and southern

states.

And

in Utah,

South Dakota, Mississippi,

and Florida the incidence of Salmonella

enteritidis

much more insidious and Investigators who have looked into the

may be

infecting chickens in a

hard-to-

combat way.

causes of

Grade

A

egg-related salmonella outbreaks have discovered

that the salmonella bacteria

and whites. Researchers

were

inside the eggs, in their yolks

killed the

egg-producing hens and

discovered that their ovaries and oviducts were infested with viable,

some

reproducing colonies of Salmonella

enteritidis.

experts theorize that Salmonella enteritidis

may

Thus,

be repro-

ducing, colonizing in the ovaries of hens, and infecting the tgg

—before the

yolk directly ters worse, this type

ination

toms 226

shell

is

even formed! To make mat-

may not even know that hold of a flock. The contam-

farmers and veterinarians

of salmonella has taken

may go on

in the flock.

for generations without

any

visible

symp-

David Steinman

How

serious

Some

tive.

the problem? Well,

is

let's

put

it

in perspec-

researchers claim that only one in ten thousand

eggs in the supermarket will harbor Salmonella the other hand, one

enteritidis.

On

of the nation's leading bacteriological

experts has remarked that if he were in the Northeast and

someone raw

offered

raw tgg dishes

immune

hollandaise sauce, which

would refuse

eggs, he

serve

him

to eat

it.

made with

Certainly you must not

to frail elderly persons, to persons

systems have been compromised by

babies and toddlers. Their white blood cells

of their

is

immune system

—might not be able

illness,

whose or to

—^which are part

to

subdue

this sal-

monella bacterium.

This does not mean you must refuse raw least

you should be aware of the

risks,

Q,gg dishes.

But

at

and you can avoid par-

Qgg dishes and recipes. For those who possess basically strong immune systems, eating raw eggs presents a ticularly risky

may result in

slight risk of infection (that

a

few days of nausea,

vomiting, diarrhea, and fever).

These dishes

are usually

made with

raw, unpasteur-

ized eggs:

Homemade mayonnaise Homemade ice cream Milk shakes Caesar salad Hollandaise sauce Soft omelets

Eggs sunny side up (the yolks are virtually uncooked)

Uncooked

batter of cakes

and cookies (many kids love

uncooked cake and cookie

Cake

batter)

filling

Pasta with raw egg-cheese stuffing (don't nibble before

cooking) Stuffing for seafood dishes

227

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Rice balls and meatballs

made with

eggs (don't nibble before

cooking)

Eggnog Potato-egg salad

If you are traveling,

you should know that eggs from England,

Wales, the Balkan countries, and the Iberian peninsula are

December

frequently infected. In health minister, sion that

1988, England's junior

Edwina Currie, remarked on national

televi-

most of England's eggs were infected with the

sal-

monella bacteria. This revelation triggered public hysteria that resulted in severe industry. Sales of eggs

lion

economic

slumped 50 percent. More than 20 mil-

eggs went unsold.

resign

—

as a result

tgg

losses for the British

Currie was eventually forced to

of her honesty! Meanwhile, the British

government announced that thorough cooking was the best

method of self-protection. I do not want to see any more persons sickened. And particularly concerned that so

many food-poisoning

I

am

out-

breaks occur in institutions. If you have loved ones in institutions, be careful for them;

make

sure that they are never

served undercooked or raw tgg dishes.

Immune-compro-

mised persons and individuals recovering from heart surgery, cancer therapy, or other illness also should

not eat raw

tgg dishes. Fortunately,

be quite safe

if

many

foods that are

commercially

sold.

made with raw eggs may

Commercial products

made with bulk eggs and should be

free

are

from contamination.

That's because bulk eggs are pasteurized and sterilized and

can be used in any recipes that demand raw or undercooked eggs. Pasteurized bulk eggs should always be used tions serving toddlers, the elderly,

persons.

228

by

institu-

and immune-weakened

David Steinman

Eggs Survival Guide

Green Light

The

evidence

quite clear that pesticides and industrial

is

chemicals have infiltrated commercial eggs sold in most supermarkets.

I

looked at both chicken and duck eggs and found

residues of benzene, levels are low,

cides

DDE,

dieldrin, toluene,

and styrene.

The

however, and the cancer risk as a result of pesti-

and industrial chemicals in eggs

is

relatively low.

Boiled eggs. Boiled eggs had twenty-one residues in thirtysix

samples with

DDE and dieldrin being most prevalent.

Fried eggs. Fried eggs had eighteen residues in thirty-six samples with the most prevalent contaminants our old enemies,

DDE and dieldrin.

Yellow Ught

Scrambled

Scrambled eggs had seventy-two pesticide

eggs.

and industrial chemical residues in

thirty-six

market basket

samples. Chief among these were benzene, chloroform, styrene,

DDE,

and toluene.

Shopping and Cooking Tips

These guideHnes humanely

will

help you find the best eggs from

raised chickens

and protect yourself against egg-

related salmonellosis.

Look

for labels that state that the chickens

were raised

without antibiotics. Although antibiotic residues were not reported for the samples of eggs

symptom of

I

hens, so

is

a

the factory farm. Also, be sure to look for fertile

eggs, available at health food stores

Here's why:

analyzed, their use

it is

and some supermarkets.

impossible to cram roosters into cages with

you can be

certain that fertile eggs

come from

uncaged hens. 229

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Horizon

many urban

eggs, a brand of eggs available in

supermarkets, are certified to be fi*om hens raised humanely

and without

antibiotics.

See the Personal Action Guide for

details.

Do

not use

artificial,

cholesterol-free egg substitutes.

One

such brand, Morningstar Farms' Scramblers, contains alu-

minum

which introduces aluminum into your

sulfate,

Check other brand

labels. If

diet.

they contain any aluminum com-

pounds, they deserve no place in the nontoxic kitchen. There is

a better alternative to these cholesterol-free chemical-laced

eggs products. cholesterol, icals

Egg

whites have absolutely no saturated

fat

or

and they probably have very few industrial chem-

or pesticides.

When

cooking dishes that require eggs,

separate the whites from the yolks and use only the whites.

Give your dog or

cat the yolk.

True carnivores such

as cats

and

dogs do not suffer problems with cholesterol.

My favorite recipe

is

the white omelet. Instead of using tgg

simply use egg whites

yolks with pesticide-saturated cheese,

I

with North Farm organic cheese or a

tofii

cook

it

Do

would

just as I

a

cheese substitute.

I

yellow omelet.

not buy unrefrigerated eggs. Temperatures between

40°F and 140°F

are ideal for salmonella to breed.

Never

leave

eggs unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Use only

uncracked eggs. Always wash your hands

raw eggs.

Wash

Do

not

utensils

dling raw eggs. tion of diluted

let

after

working with

raw eggs touch other foods.

and cutting surfaces before and

after

han-

You might even want to use a homemade soluchlorine wash, made with a half teaspoon of

chlorine per cup of water, to sterilize cutting surfaces and utensils.

Observe the hot and cold

rules.

Egg-rich foods should be

served hot immediately after cooking; refrigerate after use.

230

An

them quickly

egg-rich food to be served cold should be

David Steinman

refrigerated right after preparation and kept in the refrigerator

Do

serving time.

until

advance and allow

not prepare hoUandaise sauce in

to sit in a double boiler

it

on the back of the

stove.

The

cook

especially prudent will

all

eggs thoroughly and

avoid runny eggs cooked sunny side up. French toast and

scrambled eggs should also be thoroughly cooked. BoiHng eggs for seven minutes,

utes

may

on each be

poaching

side will kill

a little

salmonella.

Do

These cooking times

the best you can.

are boiled, eggs lose the protective outer

brane around their

shell,

mem-

and bacteria can pass into the egg.

Always store hard-cooked eggs sible in

minutes, or frying three min-

long for some, but they are ideal cooking

times for your health.

Once they

all

five

at as cold a

temperature

as

pos-

order to prevent salmonella contamination. Hard-

cooked eggs with refrigerator.

Any

shells intact will

keep one week in the

that crack should be used the

same

day. It

is

safe to leave

hard-cooked eggs unrefrigerated for an hour or

two

an Easter tgg hunt, but refrigerate any that are

for, say,

not immediately eaten.

For best quality use whole eggs within

The

a

week of purchase.

fresher the eggs the less likely they are to contain high

salmonella concentrations.

whole eggs quality.

The

in the refrigerator

For

safety's

is

outside

five

limit

for

keeping

weeks. After that they lose

sake, use leftover separated yolks

and

whites within two to four days.

231

TEN Prepared Foods

A HUGE

PART of our diet

is

made up of prepared

foods.

These

food products are as saturated with pesticides as the whole foods we've already discussed, and

many of them

vatives, taste enhancers, emulsifiers,

Did you know

that

pesticides such as

chocolate?

Or

are laced with preser-

and other additives

some of the highest

levels

as well.

of carcinogenic

BHC and lindane in any food are found in milk

some of the highest levels of the carcinogenic pumpkin pie? that Americans really do prefer wholesome nat-

that

pesticide dieldrin are found in

The

irony

is

ural foods without additives

and preservatives. Surveys con-

ducted regularly by the Food Marketing Institute indicate most

Americans are extremely concerned over the additives and preservatives in their food.

But the major convenience-food corporations simply are not responding to consumers. Just take

morning

television.

On

is

Saturday

at

hawking breakfast foods of

dubious nutritional value loaded with additives,

look

any weekend morning, much of the

advertising aimed at our children

atives,

a

and saturated

fats.

artificial colors,

Even the

TV

guidelines designed to protect our children backfire.

preserv-

network

The CBS

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Network Advertising Guidelines require that products be shown for at least three seconds

Television advertised

within the context of a well-balanced breakfast. So for a few

seconds a child sees

a nutritionally suspect cereal in a table

The

setting with milk, orange juice, toast, and fruit.

here

to teach our children

is

that

it

balanced,

a

But what are the cereal hucksters

nutritional breakfast. really teaching

something about

idea

our children?

No doubt children get the idea

the cereal that provides the bulk of nutritional

is

benefits.

Dr. Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for

Science in the Public Interest, discussed this situation in a recent letter mailed to

CSPI members.

Every once in a while,

morning

television.

gramming

is

watch Saturday

force myself to

I

What

a depressing experience!

The

pro-

bad enough, but the commercials make

me

angry enough to pull the plug. ...

Week

after

week, in shameless pursuit of

profit,

major

food corporations spend millions of dollars to persuade

chil-

dren to eat foods that are slowly killing them.

McDonald's alone pours more than $40 million a year into network television ads

aimed

spends more than $100 million marketing eral

Foods spends $20 million a year

mercials.

And

General Mills backs

In dazzling

TV

hamburgers and .

its

just

candies.

its

on Kool-Aid com-

junky

Cream Cone

Ice

.

.

commercials, food conglomerates

fries

loaded with saturated

candy bars packed with

fat

and sugar

cereals that are

no more than

50 percent sugar.

glorified candy,

and

fats .

that contain ten teaspoons of sugar in every can

234

Gen-

with $10 million worth of ads.

cereal

ries

M&M/Mars

at children.

.

with

calo-

soft drinks

.

.

hawk

.

.

as

breakfast

much

as

— David Steinman

And society facts

they target the most vulnerable segment of our

—our

children

the ones least able to separate the

from the commercial hype.

Many dients.

children's foods are

They contain

And

preservatives.

food

—

—

made from

the cheapest ingre-

colorings,

artificial

and

flavorings,

have anything to do w^ith nutritious

fev^

or with building a future generation of healthy

Americans.

.

.

.

What's even more intolerable than the massive amounts

of

money poured

cials

into food advertising

routinely try to deceive us.

is

that the

And v^here

commer-

children are con-

cerned, they succeed far too often. In Trix ads, for instance, brightly colored pieces of fruit

hop

into the cereal

box

v^hile the

announcer shouts, "Made

with natural flavorings." Fine. But what the ads don't disclose is

that Trix does not contain

tain artificial coloring!

any

fruit

.

.

And how many

.

and that

it

does con-

children will under-

stand the brief disclaimer that the pretty-colored cereal

only "part of a balanced breakfast"

—

is

fact,

they

diets

from

the part, in

could most healthfully do without? Despite a decade of urgent

calls for

improved

the surgeon general, government agencies, authorities,

and other health

our society has not changed the way

children's eating habits. If anything, thanks to the

TV

advertising

it

shapes

power of

combined with the greed of corporate

America, things are getting worse. If eating kids' diets.

had no impact on

But the

fact

is

health,

no one would care about

that right now, the seeds of disease

ranging from tooth decay and obesity to heart disease

—

are

being planted in our children and grandchildren:

•

Saturated

fat

and

cholesterol,

which lead

to heart attacks,

begin to clog youngsters' arteries by their teenage years. Yet

235

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

the

hamburger chains

show

studies

target children in particular.

many

that

teenagers

dren already have cholesterol •

—candy

whelmingly

fatty

adults. Yet children's

hot dogs, hamburgers

bars,

or fried,

and

—

are over-

very fattening. Obesity

among six-

to eleven-year-old children has increased

cent in the

last

twenty

chil-

over 200!

Obese children usually become obese products

•

levels

Medical

and even younger

54 per-

years.

Additives cause allergic and hyperactive reactions in a small

but significant number of children

makers load

Worst of

all,

their products

dietary habits

likely to persist into

change and where death.

.

The

.

—

yet the junk- food

with synthetic chemicals.

formed

in

childhood are highly

adulthood, where they are harder to

effects all too often lead to sickness

and

.

real

shame

of- it

is

that the institutions that could

ensure that children eat a healthful, wholesome diet have

simply turned their backs on their responsibility.

TV

works have refused to turn away junk-food advertising. food restaurants will not stop targeting kids with their foods.

Many

food.

And

little

doctors and hospitals are so busy

treating adult heart attack victims that they have

work on preventing

Fast-

fattiest

schools continue to serve meals that are

more than junk

net-

heart attacks

among

no time

to

the young.

Cynical campaigns aimed at capturing the hearts and minds of

our children also have been launched in the print media under the guise of educational journalism.

Some

five

hundred thou-

sand copies of Sports Illustrated for Kids, a monthly

child's ver-

sion of the adult sports magazine, are distributed nationwide

without charge to public schools. Although pose

236

is

to help

promote

Hteracy, this

its

ostensible pur-

magazine

is

actually an

David Steinman

advertising

mentality!

forum

for

promoting die great American junk- food

What right does this magazine have to use the cred-

ibiHty of our schools to provide

its

junk-food advertisers with

access to the bodies and minds of our children? Corporate advertisers such as Frito-Lay, Hershey,

RJR Nabisco, and General

Cola,

M&M/Mars,

Mills pay $250,000 for ten

pages of advertising a year in this magazine. they're willing to

make such

Pepsi-

No

wonder

costly investments! Advertisers

gain credibility, because the magazine becomes part of the educational curriculum.

time to teach our children the true

Let's take the

about food

safety.

Good

facts

nutritional habits can never begin

too soon. Materials used to package convenience foods are a legiti-

mate cause little

for concern. Unfortunately, federal scientists

know

about the toxic chemicals that are released into food from

packaging, and there

is

very lenient regulation concerning

migration of toxic chemicals into convenience foods from their containers. scientists

The FDA

does approve packaging, but the

simply do not have a handle on

all

the different

chemicals that could be leaching into your food. This cially

of concern today

when

so

many

is

espe-

of us are using

microwave ovens to heat foods contained in heat-susceptor packaging.

Heat

susceptor

packaging

microwave cooking temperatures.

enables

intense

When temperatures start to

exceed 300°F, migration of chemicals such as plasticizers and adhesives in the food packaging occurs. What's in these

chemicals? Benzene, toluene, and xylene are

among

chemicals found in packaging materials, and

all

the toxic

cause cancer,

neurological, or reproductive effects.

We

have some control over

this situation.

Foods that are

hkely to be in heat-susceptor packaging include pizza, french fries, waffles,

popcorn, and breaded

fish,

according to Lisa

237

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Lefferts and Stephen

Pubhc

Interest.

Schmidt of the Center for Science in the

The

best self-protection

method

is

to take

convenience foods out of their packaging whenever possible

and transfer them to

glass

cookware or CorningWare, whether

cooking in the microwave or conventional oven.

Microwave radiation

itself is

probably not dangerous in the

amounts leaked from microwave ovens. Although there can be

some leakage from

a

microwave oven, the amount

truly

appears to be inconsequential. Nevertheless, Lefferts and

Schmidt a

prudent not to allow children to stare into

advise, "It's

microwave while Plastic

on."

it's

wraps in which foods come and which are used for

food storage also contain chemicals that can migrate into our food

at all temperatures,

whether

in the oven, at

perature, or stored in the refrigerator. entists

know

migrates into

di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate

One

chemical that

from

food

cancer in one experimental species, still

should be classified as a potential

it

sci-

plastic 'wrap

(DEHA). Although

two, leaving the scientific jury

room tem-

it

is

has caused

has not caused cancer in

out to decide whether

human

carcinogen.

DEHA

it is

often found in plastic wrap used for meats. Your best personal solution

is

to use glass containers or

wax paper

as a liner for

food storage between your food and cHng wraps or aluminum foil.

Instead of cooking in plastic wraps,

transfer foods

from

In this section

plastic

I'll

wraps to

glass

point you to the

it

is

prudent to

cookware.

many

safe

convenience

foods available in any supermarket. There are thousands of

prepared foods; I've tried to look at the most popular ones.

Once you

see

foods are, you

how will

saturated with pesticides

some of

these

be convinced more than ever that you must

go nontoxic! I'll

also look into

all

BHT, MSG, TBHQ, 238

the chemical concoctions

—such

as

BHA,

aspartame, benzoic acid, carrageenan, food

David Steinman

and dye colorings, saccharin, and other additives and preservatives

—

that lace the thousands of brands of prepared foods in

all

those colorful, enticing, and often misleadingly labeled packages. I'll

explain

how these additives and preservatives can dramatically

affect your health, as well as that will help

you

in strengthening

healthful foods

of your children. These insights

your commitment to buy

safe,

and beverages.

CONVENIENCE FOODS Did you think ited to

tions

that the pesticide controversy

was

strictly lim-

raw foods? Unfortunately, pesticides make no

distinc-

between raw and processed foods. Nor does food

processing always destroy them.

Some convenience

foods are

thoroughly saturated with pesticides. Others are not. You need to

know

the difference.

In this section I've looked at foods

supermarkets for use as I've

used the

a

commonly bought

main course or

side dish.

in

As before,

FDA Total Diet Study's very thorough analysis of

chemicals in foods.

I

assure

you that some of these

are heavy-

weight industrial chemicals and pesticides, and pretty packaging cannot

make them

vanish.

Convenience, Carry-out, and Fast Foods Survival Guide

Green Light

Beef broth. Canned beef broth had only two Penta was the only pesticide detected.

pesticide residues.

One cup

of beef broth

has about 0.3 grams of saturated fat and a trace of cholesterol.

There

is

virtually

salt levels in this

no cancer

risk.

Be

careful,

though, of high

and other canned soups.*

Chicken noodle soup (canned, condensed, prepared with water). Chicken noodle soup had only two residues: the pesticides malathion

and methamidophos. There

is

virtually

no 239

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

One cup

of

canned chicken noodle soup has only 0.7 grams of saturated

fat

cancer risk as a result of toxic contamination.

and 7 miUigrams of cholesterol. Be sure there are no chemical additives such as preservatives or

monosodium glutamate

(MSG).

(New England, canned, condensed, prepared with whole milk). Only forty-one residues were found Clatn chowder

in

market basket samples with chlorpropham

thirty-six

appearing most frequently and cameos by benzene, dicloran, dieldrin,

and endosulfan.

Mushroom soup

(canned, condensed, prepared with whole

Only twenty-eight

milk).

DDE,

residues were found in thirty-six

market basket samples with chlorpyrifos and thiabendazole found most frequently.

Pork and beans (canned). Canned pork and beans had only twenty-one distinct chemical residues with occasional appearances from chloroform, chlorpyrifos, toluene, and xylene.

amount of meat

is

The

tiny (and pork tends to be less contami-

nated), so the pesticides usually associated with red

meat do

not appear.

Tomato soup (canned, condensed, prepared with water). In the

FDA Total Diet Study, tomato soup had twenty-eight pes-

ticide residues representing four pesticide formulations. Pesti-

cides detected

most frequently were

chlorpyrifos, malathion,

and methamidophos. Tomato soup made with cream, of course, cides.

would probably have more contamination with

There

is

virtually

no

the toxic contamination.

soup has about

5.1

pesti-

significant cancer risk as a result of

One cup

of canned cream of tomato

grams of saturated

fat

and 20 milligrams of

cholesterol. Processed tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene,

which protects against prostate cancer. Vegetable beef soup (canned, condensed, prepared with water).

240

Canned vegetable beef soup had

thirty residues in

David Steinman

thirty-six

market basket samples. The vegetables are highly

processed, and there

is

so Uttle beef that

its

pesticide residues

were not found. Chlorpropham was found most frequently.

One cup

of canned vegetable beef soup has only 0.9 grams of

saturated fat and 5 milHgrams of cholesterol. Seek soups that are not

cream based; cream adds

significantly to the pesticide

saturation. Also, look for soups without additives.

Yellow Light

Beef chow mein (from Chinese carry-out). And it's not even low calorie. Beef chow mein contained seventy-seven chemical residues,

chief

among which were

chlorpyrifos,

malathion, and permethrin. (And you thought

all

dicloran,

you had

to

worry about was MSG.)

Beef stew with

potatoes, carrots,

and onions (homemade).

Sixty-nine residues were found with chlorpropham,

endosulfan as the most

DDE,

and

common.

Chicken pot pie (frozen, heated),

A very popular American

convenience food, frozen pot pies had 127 pesticide residues representing some fifteen distinct chemicals.

Pesticides

detected most frequently included chlorpropham, pyrifos,

chlor-

and malathion.

Frozen dinners. Frozen dinners are

a favorite

convenience

food. Fried chicken dinners had forty-two pesticide residues

representing nine different pesticide formulations. That

is

not

too bad, compared with other foods we've discussed. Pesticides detected

malathion;

most frequently were

DDT,

diazinon, and

other pesticides detected were chlorpropham,

chlorpyrifos, dicloran, dieldrin, octachlor,

Select the safest frozen dinners

and penta.

by following

safe

meat and

poultry guidelines. Dinners with beef, such as Salisbury steak,

or with cheese and beef, such as enchiladas and tacos, will have the greatest pesticide contamination.

A better choice would be 241

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

a

frozen turkey dinner, since turkey breast has far less pesticide

saturation.*

Lasagna (homemade with meat). Homemade lasagna with meat, in the

FDA Total Diet Study, had seventy-three residues some fourteen

representing

and

different chemicals. Chlorpyrifos

DDE were detected in at least one-fourth of the samples.

Other

pesticides detected included diazinon, dicloran, diel-

drin, endosulfan, malathion,

Macaroni and

and xylene.

With

cheese (from box mix).

sixty-nine dif-

ferent pesticide and industrial chemical residues in thirty-six

samples, representing eight different pesticide formulations,

macaroni and cheese made from

a

box mix was not so great

and not so bad. Pesticides detected in

of the

at least a quarter

samples included chlorpyrifos (thirty-two of thirty-six samples),

DDE,

and malathion. Other pesticides and industrial

chemicals detected

less

frequently included dieldrin, diphenyl

2-ethlhexyl phosphate, ethyl benzene, and xylene. Because

macaroni and cheese does have tamination problem,

lookout for

which

new

I

a

moderately significant con-

would advise consumers

to be

on the

organic varieties of macaroni and cheese,

will significantly cut

down pesticide

brand, available in health food markets,

is

exposure.

One such

Amy's frozen maca-

roni and cheese dinners. (Amy's macaroni and cheese has been Idd tested at our

You could

healthy smiles.)

cheese

—which —and

pesticides

home and

I

passed with flying colors and also

buy North Farm organic

personally tested without detecting any

make you own nontoxic One cup of macaroni and cheese made

organic pasta and

macaroni and cheese.

with margarine has 9.8 grams of saturated

fat

and 44 miUigrams

of cholesterol.

Macaroni

(boiled).

Macaroni, when boiled, had forty-five

residues with chlorpyrifos and malathion appearing frequently.

242

most

David Steinman

Spaghetti (canned with tomato sauce). Canned spaghetti witii

tomato sauce had only twenty-four residues

in thirty-six

market basket samples with chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and

methamidophos most frequentiy Spaghetti

(homemade with

detected.

tom^ato sauce

and

jneatballs).

Spaghetti in tomato sauce with meatballs had fifty-three pesti-

contaminants. Chlor-

residues representing thirteen

cide

DDE

were detected most frequently. Benzene,

pyrifos

and

DCPA,

dieldrin, endosulfan,

Hndane, malathion, toluene, and

xylene were detected less frequently. Clearly, the meat sauce in this pasta dish

adds pesticide residues. There

risk as a result

of this contamination.

is

a small cancer

One cup

of spaghetti

with meat sauce has about 3.9 grams of saturated

fat

and 89

milligrams of cholesterol.

Red

Light

Limit your consumption of these foods try to

—

if

you

can, or at least

buy them with more wholesome organic ingredients

whenever

possible.

(I

mean,

if you're

on the

streets

of New York

City and you need a sHce of pizza, well, you might well cheat, but

when you have more might even become

control over yourself, trying to be better

a regular spiritual-ascetic experience.)

and pepperoni pizza (regular crust, from carrySome 336 chemicals were found in cheese pizza and pepperoni. Chlorpyifos and DDE were commonly found. And so Cheese

out).

were benzene, styrene, toluene, and xylene. Cheese pizza (regular crust, from carry -out). In the Total Diet Study,

some 227 chemical

Most commonly found

FDA

residues were found.

pesticides include chlorpyrifis,

DDE,

and malathion, and industrial chemicals most commonly found

were styrene, toluene, and xylene. But don't forget the heptachlor, lindane, tetrachloroethylene,

which

all

made

and trichloroethylene,

lesser appearances.

243

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Fish sandwich on bun (fast-food).

One hundred

seventy-

DDE,

chemicals were found with chlorpyrifos,

six

and

malathion the most common.

Frankfurter on bun

One hundred

(fast-food).

chemicals were found with chlorpyrifos,

malathion

among

French fries cals

DDE,

seventy-six

dieldrin,

and

the most frequent.

(fast-food).

Two-hundred-twenty-five chemi-

were found with chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, styrene, toluene

and xylene detected most frequently.

French fries (frozen^ heated). In the

were found to contain 137

frozen, commercial french fries pesticide residues representing

formulations,

ticide

Chlorpropham,

FDA Total Diet Study,

some twenty-one

different pes-

or industrial chemicals.

metabolites,

dieldrin, endosulfan, ethylnethiourea,

and

iso-

propyl (3-chloro-4-methoyphenyl) carbamate were found

most

frequently. Also detected

2,3,5,6-tetrachloroaniline,

zene, and

TDE.

French

were 1,2,3-tetrachlorobenzene,

benzene,

DDE,

fries are also

pentachloroben-

among

the foods with

highest levels of the cancer-causing chemical acrylamide.

Wow!

Stay away! Ten large french

have 2.5 grams of saturated

fat,

no

fries

cooked in vegetable

oil

cholesterol.

DESSERTS AND SWEET SNACKS

Who would expect that eating milk chocolate candy every day could present a cancer risk as a result of toxic contamination that

is

dards

nearly one hundred times greater than government stan-

recommend? Keep

sweet tooth:

the faith, though.

many commercial

You can satisfy your

desserts are quite safe, and

sources of pesticide-free desserts and snacks are listed in the

Personal Action Guide at the back of this book. But you should

be outraged that our government allows such heavy-duty carcinogenic pesticide residues in foods as seemingly innocent as plain

244

milk chocolate, ice cream, and pumpkin

pie!

David Steinman

Dessert and Sweet Snacks Survival Guide

Green Light

These

desserts

and snacks are your best choices. They had the

fewest pesticide residues and presented the lowest toxicity and

cancer

risk.

Chocolate pudding (from instant mix). Instant, powdered chocolate pudding had eleven pesticide residues representing three formulations.

chemicals least

is

The

cancer risk as a result of these toxic

The

virtually nonexistent.

DDE. Chlorpropham

one-fourth of the samples was

toluene were also detected.

pudding contains

2.3

A

pesticide detected in at

and

half cup of instant chocolate

grams of saturated

fat

and 14 milligrams

of cholesterol.

Gelatin desserts. Gelatin desserts are quite pure as far as pesticides,

gelatin

but

I'd stay

from beef

form of mad cow

parts

away from due to

disease.

gelatin desserts

risk of contracting

However,

made with the human

also be sure they

do not

contain dangerous additives and preservatives such as aspar-

BHA, BHT, or TBHQ. Jell-O, have many pesticides, but it does contain tame,

TBHQ,

and that should be

product out of your shopping

clear

a

cart.

aspartame,

BHA, and

warning to keep that

(These chemical concoc-

tions are discussed fully in the chapter

FDA Total

for example, doesn't

on

additives.)

Diet Study revealed that gelatin had

The

first

five pesticide

and industrial chemical residues representing two formulations:

penta and tributyl phosphate.

Yellow cake. Yellow cake prepared from mix with white icing prepared

from mix had

fifty-eight pesticide residues rep-

resenting three formulations.

Chlorpyrifos and malathion

were found most frequently; xylene was detected only once.

The no

cancer risk was insignificant.

One

slice

cholesterol and only traces of saturated

of yellow cake has fat.

245

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Yellow Light

Caramel candy. Caramel candy had eighty-nine residues in thirty-six samples representing some seventeen pesticide and chemical formulations or metabolites, including

industrial

diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate and triphenyl phosphate.

One ounce

of caramels has 2.2 grams of saturated

fat

and

1

miUigram of cholesterol. Chocolate milk mix. In the

FDA

Total Diet Study, sweet-

ened, powdered chocolate had thirty-nine pesticide and indus-

chemical residues representing nine formulations:

trial

chlorpyrifos, lindane, ples;

and penta in

BHC,

one-fourth of the sam-

chlorpropham, diazinon, dieldrin, diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl

phosphate, and octachlor

not eat

all

that

less often. Fortunately,

most of us do

much chocolate powder sweetener; the cancer risk

However,

is slight.

late

at least

dieters should note that

one ounce of choco-

powder sweetener has about 9 grams of saturated

lesterol.

Note

that this

mix was

tested without

fat,

no cho-

added milk.*

Doughnuts. Ready-to-eat frozen plain cake doughnuts had fifty-two pesticide residues representing eight pesticide for-

mulations:

chlorpyrifos,

DDT,

diazinon,

malathion, and

octachlor in at least one-fourth of the samples; ethion,

and vinclozolin

less often.

The

EDB,

actual cancer threat, as a result

of toxic contamination in doughnuts,

is

low.

However, many of

the chemicals in doughnuts could cause neurotoxicity. Their

thorough pesticide saturation makes doughnuts food. Dieters should note that one plain cake

grams of saturated Red

fat

a

yellow hght

doughnut has

2.8

and 20 miUigrams of cholesterol.*

Light

Apple pie

(fresh /frozen, comfnercial). In the

FDA Total

Diet

Study, frozen apple pie was found to contain 173 chemical

residues representing

The 246

some nineteen

pesticide formulations.

cancer risk was no longer insignificant, and this formerly

David Steinmax

green light food

fell

how

to yellow light status. Again, seeing

bad apples turned out in our produce section, the added processing

is

great for reducing pesticide residues, but

it's still

bad

contamination. Pesticides or industrial chemicals detected

most frequently were 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,

chlorpyrifos,

malathion, styrene, toluene, and xylene. Other pesticides and

were 1,1,1-trichloroethane, ben-

industrial chemicals detected

dichlorobenzene,

zene,

tirchloroethylene.

urated

fat,

no

One

ethyl

slice

cholesterol.

benzene,

and

malathion,

of apple pie has 4.5 grams of sat-

Hold

Brownies (commercial).

the ice cream, please!

Brownies had 188 chemical

residues in thirty-six samples. Chlorpyrifos and malathion

were the pesticides detected most frequently. Next were styrene, toluene,

and xylene.

Chocolate cake (with chocolate icing, com^mercial). In the

FDA

Total Diet Study, ready-to-eat frozen chocolate cake

with chocolate icing had 192 industrial chemical and pesticide residues in thirty-six samples representing twenty-three different pesticide

and industrial chemicals. Pesticides and

industrial chemicals detected in at least one-fourth of the

ples

sam-

were 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, chlorpyrifos, ethyl benzene,

malathion, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, and xylene.

One

slice

of chocolate cake has 3.5 grams of saturated

fat

and

37 milHgrams of cholesterol. Chocolate chip cookies. In the

FDA

Total Diet Study,

chocolate chip cookies also had 192 different pesticide and

chemical residues in thirty-six samples representing twentythree pesticide and industrial chemical formulations. Pesticides

and industrial chemicals detected most frequently were

1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, benzene, butylbenzene, chlorpyrifos,

dichlorobenzene, malathion, toluene, and xylene. dieldrin,

Other

and lindane. Eating

styrene,

tetrachloroethylene,

pesticides detected slightly less than

were

DDE,

two ounces of 247

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

many

chocolate chip cookies daily would result in as

as eight

Four chocolate chip

excess cancers in a million persons.

cookies have 4 grams of saturated fat and 22 milligrams of cholesterol.

Danish pastries (sweet Danish

pastries

commercial). Ready- to-eat

had 183 residues representing some twenty-

five industrial chemicals,

The

roll,

pesticides,

and their metaboHtes.

cancer risk as a result of the pesticides in Danish pastries

was low, but the sheer number of neurotoxic pesticides detected makes

most

them a yellow light dessert.

frequently,

in

least

at

Pesticides detected

one-quarter of the samples,

included chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion. Other pesticides detected less frequently included octachlor,

and quintozene.

grams of saturated

3.6

Milk the

FDA Total

dieldrin,

small Danish pastry has about

and 49 milligrams of cholesterol.

fat

chocolate candy

One

BHC, DDT,

ban Parents and children beware! In

Diet Study, plain milk chocolate was found to

contain 286 industrial pollutant and pesticide residues representing

some twenty-nine

different formulations. Eating

many as Because many

ounces of chocolate each day would result in ninety-five excess cancers in a million persons.

two

as

children and adults do eat about two ounces daily of plain milk chocolate,

it is

an extremely dangerous feature of our national

The major

diet.

troublemakers in chocolate include

(twenty of thirty-six samples),

dane

(all thirty-six).

among the diet.

In

fact, plain

highest levels of

Part of the problem

crops

grown

DDE

(twenty-eight), and Hn-

milk chocolate

that chocolate

is

made from pesti-

your body with

the pesticides in plain milk chocolate, look for safer substi-

tutions such as carob and organic candy bars.

many 248

laced with

where these cancer-causing

cides are widely sprayed. Rather than pollute all

is

BHC and lindane in the American

may be

in countries

BHC

organic chocolate bars.

Some such

as

There

are so

Endangered

David Steinman

Species Bar contribute portions of their earnings to world causes.

wildlife

Other pesticides and

chemicals

industrial

detected in at least one-fourth of the samples included 1,2,4-

trimethylbenzene, ethyl benzene, ylene, toluene,

tetrachloroeth-

styrene,

One ounce

and xylene.

of plain milk chocolate

has 5.4 grams of saturated fat and 6 milligrams of cholesterol.

Pumpkin pie pie

Frozen pumpkin

(fresh /frozen, commercial).

had 231 pesticide and industrial residues representing

twenty- three pesticide formulations.

pumpkin

among

the pesticides in

Pumpkin

pie pack a powerful toxic punch.

the

most dangerous

tually every

Other

And

desserts in the

American

pie

diet.

is

Vir-

sample of pumpkin pie had residues of dieldrin.

pesticides

found in

at least

one-quarter of the samples

were chlorpyrifos, malathion, and permethrin. Pesticides and industrial chemicals

found

less

often were

BHC,

chlordane,

diazinon, endosulfan, ethyl benzene, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, and xylene.

Although pumpkin pie has fewer

residues than other foods, the levels of

some

dangerously high. Eating just one six-ounce pie a

week would

lead to as

in a million persons.

many

of pumpkin

as forty-one excess cancers

Remember

the squash family, and chemically

that

pumpkins belong

grown squash

most thoroughly pesticide-saturated

One

slice

were

This disturbing news about pumpkin pie

should not be a surprise.

supply.

pesticides

favorites

is

in

to

one of the the food

shce of pumpkin pie has 6.4 grams of saturated

fat

and 109 milligrams of cholesterol.

Sandwich cookies with creme filling (commercial). Sandwich cookies with white cream fiUing had 152 residues representing nineteen pesticides. Pesticides detected most frequently

were chlorpyrifos, malathion, styrene, and toluene. Other industrial chemicals

and pesticides detected were

1,1,1-

trichloroethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, carbon tetrachloride,

chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, and tetrachloroethylene. 249

Diet for a Poisoxed Pl.\xet

Eating two ounces of sandwich cookies daily would produce

many

cancers in

a

million persons, so be

wan'. Four sandwich cookies have

2

grams of saturated

as

no

as five excess

fat.

cholesterol.

Sugar

{commercial).

cookies

Sugar cookies had residues,

Call

poisons.

and industrial chemical

196 pesticide

including chlorpyrifos.

them sweet

malathion.

and

st}Tene.

trichloroethylene.

CONDIMENTS, SNACKS, FROZEN MEALS we do not eat large senings of condiments and is imponant to make the safest possible choices, because we eat them regularly, and some items can introduce toxic substances into our bodies. Remember, there are pesti-

-Vlthough snacks,

it

cides in almost

all

foods, and these poisons are

combining

in

our bodies, so we should reduce exposure whenever we can.

Some condiments and butter, are

snacks, like potato chips and peanut

downright dangerous. Fortunately we can find

safe,

reasonably priced substitutions for these pesticide-saturated foods.

Condiment, Snacks, Frozen Meal

Survival

Guide

Qrttn Ught

These condiments had the fewest your best choices

in

pesticide residues.

fift\*-seven

t\velve pesticide formulations.

propham. cchlop}Tifos. bro\\Ti gra\y has 0.9

are

any supermarket.

Broun gravy (homemade). Xot (homemade) has

They

bad, ma.

Brown gra\y

pesticide residues representing

Most

DDE.

often detected were chlor-

and malathion. One cup of

grams of saturated

fat

and

2

mihigrams of

cholesterol.

Honey. Honey had three residues representing three 250

David Steinman

pesticide

Honey

coumaphos, dicloran, and ethion.

formulations:

has no cholesterol or saturated

grown brands of honey antibiotics,

to

make

sure

which some beekeepers do

fat.

Seek organically

you avoid exposure

to

use.

Italian salad dressing (low -calorie). Low-calorie Italian salad dressing

DCPA, and

had forty-two residues including chloroform,

One

ethion.

tablespoon of regular Italian salad

dressing has 1.3 grams of saturated fat and 8 milligrams of cholesterol.

Seeking low-calorie Italian salad dressing

(instead of regular) will cut

your pesticide exposure, and

it

has only 4 milligrams of cholesterol and a bare trace of saturated

fat.

Mayonnaise

(regular, bottled).

Mayonnaise had

thirty-five

and pes-

pesticide residues representing six industrial chemical

benzene,

ticide formulations:

ylhexyl

phosphate,

DDE,

endosulfan,

dieldrin, diphenyl 2-eth-

One

and methoxychlor.

tablespoon of regular mayonnaise has 1.7 grams of saturated fat

and 8 milligrams of cholesterol. Although the pesticide

uration ever,

is

not dangerous, the

fat

content

is

rather high.

one tablespoon of imitation mayonnaise

pesticide exposure,

and

it

sat-

How-

will cut

your

has only 0.5 grams of saturated fat

and 4 milligrams of cholesterol.

Pancake syrup. Bottled cane syrup one residue (chloroform)

for pancakes

in thirty-six samples.

had only

Two

spoons of cane syrup have no cholesterol or saturated a

bad choice for pancakes and waffles in Salt.

Table

salt

table-

fat.

Not

a coffee shop.

was not analyzed for pesticides and indus-

You should know, though, that some commercial brands of salt use aluminum-based compounds to prevent caking. Choose brands that do not use these compounds, or trial

chemicals.

use natural sea

salt.

White sugar (granulated). White sugar had two

residues:

diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate and tributyl phosphate.

One 251

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

tablespoon of white granulated sugar has no cholesterol or saturated

fat.

Yellow Light

These yellow

light foods

were rather more saturated with pes-

Use them sparingly. Com chips. Corn chips had 116 pesticide and industrial chemical residues representing some twenty-two compounds. Detected most frequently were benzene, toluene, and xylene. Most health food markets sell several brands of organically grown blue corn chips, which you should seek to significantly ticides.

cut your pesticide exposure. In the supermarket, choose the lesser of

chips.

urated

two

evils

by seeking corn chips rather than potato

A one-ounce package of corn chips has fat,

no

1.4

grams of sat-

cholesterol.

French salad dressing (regular). Boycott French salad dressing!

The product

contained 107 pesticide and industrial

chemical residues, including appearances by

BHC, DCPA,

DDE, DDT,

and xylene.

dicofol, dieldrin, endrin, lindane,

Fruit jelly. Fruit six pesticide

jelly

had twenty pesticides representing

formulations. Pesticides detected most frequently

were dicloran, ethion, malathion, and penta. Although the cancer risk for these pesticides

is

relatively low, they can

be

extremely potent neurotoxins, even at low cumulative doses.

With reasonably

priced, absolutely pure organic fruit con-

serves available at major health food markets,

foolhardy to eat pesticide-saturated jams and

it

jellies.

has no cholesterol and just a trace of saturated

just

seems

Fruit jelly

fat.*

Tomato ketchup. Ketchup had ninety-four

pesticide

and

industrial chemical residues including acephate, chlordane,

DDE, endosulfan, and methamidophos. It is not surprising that

252

with

this legacy several

their

way

to the market.

brands of organic ketchup have found

Buy them! They will

significantly cut

David Steinman

your pesticide exposure. Ketchup has no cholesterol and bare trace of saturated

just a

fat.

White sauce (hotnetnade). Fifty-eight chemicals were found with chlorpyrifos, diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate, and malathion seen most often.

Red Ught Dill cucumber pickles. Dill pickles had 198 pesticide residues. Pesticides detected

most frequentiy were

dieldrin, endosulfan,

and toxaphene. Pickles are actually cucumbers, and you may recall that

chemically grown cucumbers are quite Hberally laced

with dieldrin. Pesticides detected chlordane,

DDE, DDT,

less

BHC,

frequentiy were

heptachlor, lindane, nonachlor, and

pentachloroaniline. In addition, pickles often are preserved with

aluminum-based compounds, which introduce excess amounts of

this potentially toxic industrial

advise that

you seek organic

against toxic exposures.

One

Peanut butter. In the had

a

whopping 413

metal into your

pickles for

maximum

excellent brand

FDA Total

diet. I

is

would

protection

Cascadian Farm.

Diet Study, peanut butter

some

pesticide residues representing

thirty-five different pesticide formulations, their metabolites,

and

industrial chemicals. Pesticides

and industrial chemicals

detected most frequentiy were 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,2,4-

BHC,

tirmethylbenzene, benzene, drin, endosulfan, ethyl

chlorpyrifos,

DDE,

diel-

benzene, malathion, pentachloroaniline,

pentachlorobenzene, penta, quintozene, styrene, tecnazene, toluene, toxaphene, and xylene. In addition to the pesticide threat,

some peanut

butter products have varying amounts

of a potent, natural carcinogenic mold especially dangerous to

known

as aflatoxin,

anyone with underlying

hepatitis.

Furthermore, although peanut butter has no cholesterol, one tablespoon has a whopping stay

1

.4

grams of saturated

away from peanut butter and

fat. I

would

definitely substitute organic

253

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Arrowhead Mills

brands.

field

dries

its

grown

organically

peanut crop to prevent aflatoxin growth. Potato chips. Potato chips had 202 pesticide residues rep-

some

resenting lites.

If

you

thirty-one pesticide formulations or metabo-

are packing potato chips with your child's school

lunch, stop! Pesticides and industrial chemicals detected most

frequently were carcinogens and neurotoxins such as chlor-

propham,

DDE,

dieldrin, endosulfan, ethyl benzene, styrene,

toluene, and xylene. In addition, potato chips are often pre-

served with

BHA or BHT. Just ten chips have

urated

no

fat,

cholesterol.

chips, corn chips,

The

high

salt

1

.8

grams of sat-

content of potato

and many other snacks and condiments

will

be of concern to those watching their sodium intake.

VEGETABLE OILS That old saying

that a

little

learning

is

dangerous thing rings

a

especially true in the case of vegetable oils.

When

properly for their purity and nutrient content,

extremely valuable.

They can

actually strengthen

ance to pollution-related disease.

Then

again,

chosen oils

your

some

are

resist-

oils

can

diminish the body's ability to fight off the effects of toxic chemicals. Unfortunately,

some of the major brands of veg-

etable oil sold today in supermarkets contain antinutrients

such as pesticides that actually weaken your body's immunity.

As

I

describe the pesticide and antinutrient saturation of veg-

etable oils

and vegetable oil-based foods, you

will see

why

best oils available today are expeller-pressed, unrefined, and

the

made

with organically grown crops. These guidelines will help you steer clear of excessive industrial pollution

and pesticide exposure.

Selecting Oils

The key

to purchasing the best oils for reducing your body's

toxin load

254

is

in the kinds of fatty acids contained in the oils. All

David Steinman

vegetable

oils

contain fatty acids.

And

while there are different

kinds of fatty acids, the ones your body needs to fight

damage

caused by toxic chemicals are called essential fatty acids (EFAs).

Why do we call them essential fatty acids? The answer

some nutrients that the body cannot make but must obtain from the natural world. Of these essential nutrients, some are minerals, some vitamins, some amino acids, and two are essential fatty acids: omega- 3 fatty acids and is

There

quite simple.

omega-6

fatty acids.

Most of fatty acids.

sunflower

Such the

us have no problem acquiring enough omega-6

They

are widely available in corn, safflower,

is

not the case for omega- 3 fatty acids, which can help effects of industrial pollutants

So where do you get omega-3

best sources

omega-3 omega-3

The

flaxseed

is fi*esh

oil,

fatty acids?

oil

these

pesti-

^One of the

contains 15 percent

fatty acids; canola oil, 10 percent;

we need

and

which contains 57 percent

Pumpkin-seed

fatty acids.

reason

omega-3

good

soy

oils in

oil,

8 percent.

our diet

that

is

fatty acids from vegetable sources contain alpha-

Hnolenic acid (LNA). Your body's enzymes metaboHze into another family of substances that resemble

which regulate white blood

called prostaglandins,

body's

and

oils.

body combat the

cides.

are

immune

system, particularly

B

cells

and

LNA

hormones, cells in

T cells.

B

the cells

produce antibodies to help your body destroy potentially toxic invaders, while

T cells alert your body when the invaders have cells and T cells are able to remember who

been vanquished. B

know how to produce antibodies that can zap them. But if your immune system is impaired by lack of LNA, your B cells and T cells will have difficulty remembering the enemies and how to make proper antibodies.

the toxic invaders are, and they

So

your

body's

prostaglandins can

inability

to

properly

manufacture

mean big problems for your immune 255

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Any time your immune

system.

function

body's vulnerability to toxic chemicals

Many

impaired, your

is

rises.

people do require a supplemental boost of omega-3

and pesticides may interfere

fatty acids. Industrial pollutants

with the body's use of vitamin B^ and a vitamin B^ deficiency will

prevent the body from properly using omega-3 fatty In addition, pesticides tend to deplete the body's

acids.

C and vitamin E, which the immune system

supply of vitamin

needs to battle toxic chemical invaders and to protect the

EFAs

in

your body.

We need the EFAs to strengthen our cells'

membranes. Without an adequate

more

pass through our cells

supply, toxic chemicals will

easily.

Because of the scarcity in

the American diet of omega-3 fatty acids,

it is

American adults and children are

lions of

likely that mil-

deficient in this

essential nutrient.

How There

can you detect an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency?

are

many

hair or skin dry?

signs.

Do you

you

ciency.

To

omega-3

daily of pure flaxseed

your

and see

oil,

are

—

An

taking a teaspoon or two

a little

diminish.

it

with

Many people find

oil into

fruit juice if

You can use

your

diet,

you wish, but be

quickly, for the oil will

flaxseed oil

soon sepa-

on cooked veg-

pasta, or use

it

in salad

made by blending tofu. Or try mixing

excellent dressing can be

flaxseed oil with nonfat yogurt or soft

256

omega-

sweet and invigorating.

mixed with freshly cooked

dressings.

aller-

fatty acid defi-

the vegetable oil richest in

mix well and drink

rate fi-om the juice. etables,

diet, try

ways to introduce flaxseed

however. You can mix sure to

Do you have acne,

of these symptoms could be a

if symptoms

flaxseed oil quite tasty

There

your

whether you should be including more

fatty acids in

3 fatty acids,

allergies? Is

from an omega-3

are suffering

find out

brittle?

Any

eczema, or dry skin?

sign that

from

Are there rashes or tiny lumps on the backs

of your arms? Are your nails gies,

suffer

David Steinman

flaxseed oil with a

Flaxseed

oil

yogurt and organic

little

can also be used in baking, which fortunately

does not destroy EFAs.

promote weight

And

a httle bit

of flaxseed

oil will

when

oil

frying or sauteing.

excessive heat and oxygen will destroy

valuable EFAs.

its

Another good source for omega- 3 fatty acids

When

walnuts.

And some

oil.

using

oil

two tablespoons

tute

not

gain, either.

However, do not use flaxseed

The

fruit topping.

made with English

for every

is

English

walnuts, substi-

one tablespoon of flaxseed

of the best sources of essential omega-3 fatty

acids are beans: great northern, kidney, navy,

and soy beans.

Eating these beans regularly will help you make sure that

you have an adequate supply of essential omega-3 in

your

fatty acids

diet.

Other

oils

—even

though they contain

amounts of omega-3

Use them

kitchen.

monounsaturated

fatty

acids

—should

relatively small

also

be in your

for cooking because they contain valuable fats,

are highly stable,

cancer-stimulating free radicals

when

and do not form

intensely heated, and

they do not interfere with your body's utilization of EFAs.

example

is

olive oil,

EFA- destroying

into

cado

oil

and canola

Some

One

which does not break down under heat substances.

oil.

Other good

oils

include avo-

All are extremely heat stable.

health experts, such as Dr. Maurizio Trevisan of the

State University of

New York at

Buffalo, believe that

we may

gain additional benefits by cooking with canola or olive

One

reason these

oils are

so stable

high in stable, monounsaturated fats

may

is

fats.

oil.

that they are naturally

These monounsaturated

help us reduce cholesterol and blood pressure and

offer further protection against heart disease risk factors.

Although the evidence

is

not conclusive, one study published

recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association

looked

at forty-nine

hundred Itahan men and women, whose 257

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

ages ranged from twenty to fifty-nine, and found that those

people

who had

a diet

high in ohve

margarine also had lower overall

oil

and low in butter and

levels of cholesterol

and

blood pressure than persons whose diets included more butter

and margarine.

Among

fats are canola, olive,

those

oils

high in monounsaturated

and peanut. All should be purchased in

their organic variety; this

especially true of peanut

is

oil,

because of the tremendous pesticide saturation of peanuts and

peanut butter. Also

over those fats,

If

preferable to use these three oils for cooking

it is

oils that are

higher in

less stable

polyunsaturated

such as corn, cottonseed, sunflower, and safflower

oils.

make

sure

you

insist

on using safflower or sunflower

oil,

you purchase high-oleic safflower and sunflower oleic varieties contain nearly as

oils.

High-

much monounsaturated

fat as

olive oil.

Hydrogenated Oils

One

of the major problems with vegetable

preparation of many foods today

Hydrogenation

is

of

important, because rancid addition, if the oils

that they are hydrogenated.

make them semisoHd

fats to

The hydrogenation

used in the

by which hydrogen atoms are

a process

added to unsaturated fats.

is

oils

oils

oils

saturated

prevents rancidity, which

is

can become carcinogenic. In

were not hydrogenated, many

favorite

foods would change measurably. Margarine spreads because of

hydrogenation. Without hydrogenation

pour margarine. But that tion end.

And

is

where the

we would have

to

benefits of hydrogena-

the problems with hydrogenation outweigh

these scanty benefits.

The hydrogenation are essentially

genated

258

no

oils, like

compounds that animal fats. Hydro-

process turns oils into

different

from saturated

saturated

fats,

appear to promote

arterial

David Steinman

They

plaque.

and

inhibit the production

body

stances in the

that help the

reduce our body's ability to rid other toxins. In

hke saturated

fact, it is

efficient use

immune

itself

of sub-

system, and they

of carcinogens, drugs, and

quite possible that hydro genated

oils,

potentiate the effects of toxic chemicals.

fats,

Furthermore, substances known as phytosterols, which help reduce cholesterol and which are present naturally in vegetable oils, are modified during hydrogenation into a

pound

that

no longer possesses such

com-

potential. Finally, the

nonessential fatty acids created in the hydrogenation process

can prevent your body from using essential fatty acids. So

when you down. And

word "hydrogenated," put the product

see the

Hydrogenated ucts:

name

oil,

unfortunately,

a

candy, frozen foods,

few

is

used

many prod-

is

oils are

and margarines

being used.

but not always,

Any label

hydrogenated should send you

are holding a product that deserves

ping

often saturated

used in

breads,

favorites. Labels often,

hydrogenated oil

is

oil.

baked goods, potato chips, peanut butter, frozen dinners,

potpies,

you

which

that includes margarine,

with hydrogenated

tell

—to

when

declaring that the

a clear

no place

warning that in

your shop-

cart.

Vegetable Oils Survival Guide

Green

Light

Olive/safflower

oil,

Olives are no longer virtually free from

pesticide residues. Olive/safflower oil contained 167 industrial

chemicals and pesticide residues.

Some

Spanish olive

oil

imported into the United States was found to have traces of the industrial solvents

PCE

and

TCE,

both carcinogens.

Unfortunately, this contamination has only gotten worse for olive/safflower

oil.

Among

industrial chemicals

and pesticides 259

Diet for a Poisoxed Pl.\net

detected were

1

J,l-trichloroethane, benzene,

BHC,

tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, chloroform, chlorp\Tifos,

diazinon, endosulfan, ethyl benzene,

HCB,

carbon

DDE,

Hndane, proc}Tni-

done, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and x\4ene. (But,

according to earher research, no ItaHan olive

found to be adulterated with oils that

tene,

received a clean

TCE

has been

oil

and PCE. Imported

olive

included BertoUi, Gondola, Pas-

bill

and Cola\ita.)

Sesame

oil.

Based on

my

re\iew of

FDA

pesticide

moni-

toring data, sesame seeds are not ven' saturated with pesticides.

Thus, sesame

oil is

Hkely to be free from residues.*

Ye/low Light

Coj'u

oil.

One

markets, corn

of the most popular oil

oils sold

today in super-

had twent}^ pesticide residues representing

eight pesticide formulations and metabolites.

and wood presen'ative penta was malathion was found in diazinon, dieldrin,

HCB,

six

of the

The

pesticide

in half of the samples; thirt\'-six

samples.

BHC,

pentachlorobenzene, and methox\^-

chlor were each found once in

thirt\'-six

samples.

Xot

too

reassuring.*

Margmiue.

In thirt} -six samples of partially hydrogenated

margarine, there were 157 chemical residues. Toluene was

found

in

more than

half the samples. Diphenyl 2-ethylhex\i

phosphate was found in almost half the samples. Other industrial

chemicals and pesticides detected included benzene, ethyl

benzene, st}Tene, and tetrachloroethylene.

Red

Light

Cottonseed

oil.

A popular

residues, representing dieldrin. I don't

because of

260

its

oil,

cottonseed

oil

had ten pesticide

two pesticide formulations,

recommend using cottonseed

his^h saturated-fat content.*

DDT

oil,

and

however,

David Steinman

Soybean in

A number

oil,

of pesticide residues were detected

FDA study. samples; BHC was

1970-76

samples tested in a

thirty-eight

Dieldrin was detected in 45 percent of the

detected in 24 percent of the samples. Also detected were endrin, malathion,

DDT,

heptachlor, and

PCBs.

No

doubt,

with time, these pesticides' concentrations have diminished.

But they probably can organic

whenever

oil

still

be found in soybean

oil.

Substitute

possible.

Shopping and Cooking Tips

Buy oils made with

organically

grown

crops. Barlean's Organic

Oils produces superb flaxseed and organic

oil

wonderful organic cooking

also produces

products. Flora

A

oil.

company

called Spectrum markets the greatest variety of oils made with

organically

grown

grown with

are organic and

organic flaxseed

crops. Five of thirty oils sold

by Spectrum

certified organic crops. All their

— —are unrefined. oils

safflower, sesame, toasted sesame, olive,

Look for expeller-pressed

oils (also

known

and

as cold-pressed).

This process ensures consumers that no residues of solvents, such as hexane, will be

left in

the

oil.

Major brand

often extracted using solvents to glean every last

pressing

means

has been

mashed

bit.

oils are

Expeller-

that the oil source, such as soybeans or for the

75 percent of the

oil

oil, a

com,

process that recovers only about

but leaves

it

much

purer than that pro-

duced through solvent methods.

Keep transfer

Use that are

botties capped.

and promotes oils that are

made with

Canola

(also

Oxygen

accelerates this chemical

rancidity.

low

these

in saturated fats,

and seek products

oils:

high in valuable monounsaturated

Olive (also high in valuable monounsaturated

fats)

fats)

Safflower

261

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Sesame Sunflower

These

oils are

very high in saturated

fats.

disease-promoting qualities to animal or buying foods

fats.

They have

made with them:

Palm kernel (more than 80 percent saturated Palm (50 percent saturated

fat)

fat)

Cottonseed (25 percent saturated

Until

we know more about

its

fat)

physiologic effects, beware of

sucrose polyester, a synthetic substitute

fat.

The

theory

the body does not metabolize this product and that

But sucrose polyester could be

straight through.

tant and could steal nutrients

Beware of spray-on fats

a

it

is

that

passes

colon

irri-

from your body.

which often contain hydrogenated

oils

and preservatives.

Prefer virgin and extra-virgin olive the

similar

Avoid using them

first

which are made from

oil,

pressings of the olives. "Pure" olive oil

pure and

anything but

often extracted with chemical solvents.

is

You may want

to use different oils for different types of

cooking. For flavor use olive tinctive taste of olive oil

If

oil.

when

you want

and walnut are

cado and canola

delicate.

oils are best

to avoid the dis-

cooking, try using avocado,

canola, safflower, sunflower, or walnut flower,

is

oil.

Safflower, sun-

For cooking

fried foods, avo-

because they can be heated above

400°F Rancid

oil is

dangerous because

it is

highly reactive and

could promote cancer. To reduce the chances of

becoming

rancid, buy only a month's worth of

and be sure to replace

it

refrigerated. Heat, light,

them 262

cool,

away from

after

and

about

air are

a

oil at a

month. Keep

oils

time oils

destructive, so keep

direct sunlight,

and with

as little

David Steinman

exposure to

air as possible.

to retard oxidation.

helpful to your

Some people add vitamin E

Vitamin

body

E

is

vitamin

it.

E

Repeat in

a natural antioxidant

and

Add when consumed. Buy

in metabolizing unsaturated fats.

200 international units of vitamin

you open

to oils

a

E

to a bottle of oil

few weeks until

capsules, break

oil is

them open, and

let

the contents

drip into the liquid.

Safe Shopping List: Convenience Foods

Number

Green Light Beef broth (canned)

of Residues

2

Chicken noodle soup (canned, condensed, prepared with water)

2

Clam chowder (New England, canned, condensed, prepared with

whole milk)

Mushroom soup

41 (canned, condensed,

prepared with whole milk)

Pork and beans (canned)

28 21

Tomato soup (canned, condensed, prepared with water)

28

Vegetable beef soup (canned,

condensed, prepared with water)

Yellow Light

30

Number

of Residues

Beef chow mein (from Chinese carry-out)

37

Beef stew with potatoes, carrots and onions (homemade)

Chicken pot-pie (frozen, heated)

69 127

Frozen dinners

42

Lasagna (homemade with meat)

73

263

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Macaroni and cheese (from box mix)

69

Macaroni

45

(boiled)

Spaghetti (canned with tomato sauce)

Spaghetti

24

(homemade with tomato sauce

and meatballs)

53

Number of Residues

Red Light Cheese pizza (regular

crust,

from

cany-out)

336

Cheese and pepperoni pizza (regular crust,

from carry-out)

277

Fish sandwich on bim (fast-food)

176

Frankfurter on bun (fast-food)

176

French

fries (fast-food)

225

French

fries (frozen,

45

heated)

Safe Shopping List: Desserts and Sweet Snacks

Number of Residues

Green Light Chocolate pudding (from instant mix)

11

Gelatin

5

Yellow cake

58

Number of Residues

Yellow Light Caramel candy

89

Chocolate milk mix

39

Doughnuts

52

Number

Red Light Apple pie (fresh/frozen, commercial

173

Brownies (commercial)

189

Chocolate cake (with chocolate commercial)

264

of Residues

icing,

192

David Steinman

Chocolate chip cookies

Danish

192

commercial

pastries (sweet roll,

Milk chocolate candy bar

183

286

Sandwich cookies with creme

filling

(commercial)

152

Pumpkin

231

pie (ft'esh/fi'ozen, commercial)

196

Sugar cookies (commercial)

Safe Shopping List:

Condiments and Snacks

Number

Green Light Brown gravy

of Residues

57

Honey

3

ItaHan salad dressing (low-calorie)

42

Mayonnaise

35

(regular, bottled)

Pancake syrup

1

White sugar

2

(granulated)

Number

Yellow Light Corn

116

chips

French salad dressing (regular)

107

White sauce (homemade)

58

Number

Red Light Dill

of Residues

cucumber

of Residues

198

pickles

Peanut butter

413

Potato chips

202

Safe Shopping List: Vegetable Oils

Number

Green Light

of Residues

Avocado Oil Extra virgin or virgin oHve

oil

265

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Organic

Sesame

oils

oil

Number

Yellow Light Margarine

19

Com oil

10

Number of Residues

Red Light Cottonseed

oil

Hydrogenated

oils

Palm and coconut "Pure" olive

Soybean

266

of Residues

oil

oil

oil

ELEVEN Beveraees

Do

BEVERAGES SUCH

as coffee, cola,

and other

soft drinks

and

alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and whiskey have additives, pesticides,

chosen. tions

—

or other carcinogens? Absolutely

found pesticides in

I

most notably

tainted with

in wine.

dren.

is

And

Your morning cup of coffee could be

dioxin because bleached coffee

a frequent I

unwisely

significant, disturbing concentra-

minute traces of dioxin that leach into the liquid

Benzene

if

filters

contain

as it

filtered.

is

contaminant in processed drinks for

chil-

found the potent carcinogen urethane in plenty of

brands of alcoholic beverages. But there are ways to avoid these problems and

Benzene In

in

still

all

find plenty of safe beverages.

Beverages

November

2005, the

FDA received

private laboratory results

reporting low levels of benzene in a small

number of soft

that contained benzoate salts (an antimicrobial)

(vitamin C).

The

FDA

as a quality standard.

and ascorbic acid

has no regulatory limits for benzene in

beverages other than bottled water, for which

maximum contaminant

drinks

level

(MCL)

FDA uses the EPA

of 5 ppb for drinking water,

Diet for a Poisoned Planet

Benzene

•

coal and

oil,

Benzene

is

is

found in the

from emissions from burning

air

gasoline service stations, and a carcinogen

exposed to high levels from w^orkplace

salts

substance [isomer] also

Benzene can form

at

that contain both

known

as d-ascorbic

Elevated temperatures and Hght can stimulate benzene

formation in the presence of benzoate sugar and

salts

and vitamin C, while

EDTA salts inhibit benzene formation.

November 2005 benzene findings, FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition initi-

As the

air.

some beverages

and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or erythorbic acid

(a closely related

acid).

exhaust.

and has caused cancer in workers

the parts per billion level in

benzoate

motor vehicle

a follow-up to the

ated a limited survey of beverages with a focus

on

soft drinks

that contain both benzoate salts and ascorbic or erythorbic

The

acid.

vast

majority of beverages sampled to date

(including those containing both benzoate preservative and ascorbic acid) contain either

below the I

5

ppb

no detectable benzene or

levels

limit for drinking water.

have posted the

FDA results

obtained between

2005 through April 20, 2006 from die Safety and Applied Nutrition

¥DNs

November

Center for Food

(CFSAN) ongoing

survey of ben-

zene in beverages. Over one hundred soft drinks and other beverage samples were collected from Virginia,

retail stores in

Maryland,

and Michigan. Only four beverage products containing

both added benzoates and ascorbic acid contained benzene above the

5

ppb

juice beverage levels

EPA drinking water MCL. One light cranberry

product with added ascorbic acid and only natural

of benzoic acid

benzene above

The FDA

5

(i.e.,

no added benzoates)

also contained

ppb. Data are presented in Table 11.1.

says that appropriate steps currently are being

taken by industry as well as the

zene formation in beverages

is

FDA

to

make

minimized to

sure that ben-

levels

below the

drinking water standard of 5 ppb. However, for now,

268

levels

if

you're

David Steinman

going to buy such beverages, purchase those with the

least

benzene in them. In the chart below, two different methods to benzene were used. Prefer those products that had

test for

none detected or the lowest

levels

according to both methods.

Table 11.1: Benzene Levels in Beverage Product Samples

Level of benzene (ppb)

Product

Method

Products

Containing

Safeway Select Diet Root Beer,

lot

1