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At least, without scrubbing it.  Did you know that apples have the most pesticide residue of any fruit?  That's right.  Each time you eat even a washed and peeled apple -- and don't even think about eating one that's not -- pesticides are seeping into your body.  Almost 100% (92%) of apples test positive for one or two pesticides , according to USA Today. While the government claims the level is not enough to kill anyone, who wants to eat even a smidgen of Round Up?   Pesticides are known to be toxic to the nervous system, cause cancer, disrupt hormones and cause brain damage in children, USA Today reports. Pregnant women are advised to avoid foods containing pesticides.  A study by  Harvard School of Public Health  found children exposed to pesticides had a higher risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. And "produce washes"?  Forget about it. Washing with them is unlikely to help remove pesticides because they're...

Could it be?   Broccoli , that source of vitamins and weight loss, on most children's nightly plates, that super cancer-fighter, could actually damage our health, instead? A new study has found that fruits and vegetables may not be quite as good for us as once thought.  And we're not even talking about the pesticides!  But it seems some can lead to hypothyroidism (your thyroid slows down, making you fatigued, and gain weight -- and, worst of all, not able to lose it), or harm your teeth.  Even the great new wonder of the world, kale, has come in for some abuse. Turns out this leafy green veggie is the one that lowers your thyroid, and so does broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (think, c auliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and collard greens).    All the stuff we've been told to eat if we want to live to 100, or thereabouts. And as for teeth? Writer Lecia Bushak says her dentist told her she'd be better off eating "chocolate and cola" rather t...

Sadly, our food inspection rules, though somewhat tightened recently, will not prevent you from getting sick if you consume a contaminated food that has somehow slipped through the ropes. Food-borne illnesses cause about one in six Americans to get very sick every year, with 128,000 hospitalizations, and an estimated 3,000 deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as Deborah Kotz reports at The Boston Globe. My sister, who's never met a vegetable she didn't like, became seriously ill with food poisoning (doctors thought it might have been the arugula) about a week before her first son was due.  Happily, the baby was born healthy, though there was some concern initially that the contamination might have contributed to a neurological problem. Kotz writes that the introduction of federal laws to regulate food safety, including rules on how produce is grown, harvested, and distributed throughout the country has officials hoping "they w...

OK.  Here's the question.  Would we be better off eating all organic foods ? We're certainly buying -- and paying for -- it.  Sales of organic food have soared over the past decade, up to   $30 billion in 2011, or 4.2% of all U.S. food and beverage sales, according to the Organic Trade Association, as The Wall Street Journal reports today. Probably like you, I don't mind paying a little bit more for organic milk and meat (though I've stopped buying organic produce because if you wash the regular stuff, you get most of the chemicals off, and I worry about fecal matter). But guess what?  No expert has yet been able to prove eating all organic food is better for us. Now, eating food grown without the help of synthetic chemicals" is probably safer and healthier to consume than food containing those substances, even in trace amounts," The WSJ says. And many experts say they believe Americans "should try to substitute organic products for conventional o...

Where do you stand on genetically modified food ?  If you're like most Americans, you'd rather not -- or at least know when you're eating it. But the agriculture industry has been successful in fighting the distribution of this knowledge, using big bucks and political allies (read: Congressmen they sponsor). But last month Vermont became the first state to pass a bill requiring "labeling of foods produced using these genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, and thankfully, my home state, Connecticut. Right to Know GMO, a self-described grass-roots coalition with members in 37 states, counts 26 states that have introduced labeling bills, passed its own, according to Dan D'Ambrosio of USA Today. Barbara Boxer, Democrat from California, always in the forefront of protecting the consumer, whether from guns or artificially assembled food, told D'Ambrosio in an e-mail, "As more and more states take action, I believe lawmakers in Washington will realize tha...

The stroke belt.  That's what many call southeastern states like Mississippi (the fattest state in the nation) and Alabama, even Georgia.  And it's because more people who grew up or live in that area are prone to strokes. Experts say the risk exists even if you move away, according to a story by Mary MacVean of the LA Times.  A new study curiously places the highest risk on people who lived in the south from ages 13 to 18 -- 17% higher.  "Researchers speculated that adolescence is a time when many people set in place certain important habits – smoking, dietary choices – that affect stroke risk," MacVean reports. But others say factors like air pollution, environmental tobacco smoke, metals, and pesticides may also increase the risk of stroke. Here's another scary fact.  Love your Coke?  Plan on diabetes.  That's what a new study is reporting.  As little as one sugary soda a day can increase your chances of getting this disease by almost 2...