Forever Chemicals Where?!

Kale, chard, and mustard greens have been a mainstay on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list of the most pesticide-ridden fruits and veggies,¹ with the group recently reporting that USDA testing “…found the most pesticides on kale, collard and mustard greens, with 103 different chemicals found across the category.” Eighty-six percent of samples had “detectable levels” of at least two different pesticide residues.² Yikes! What’s more, a pilot study in 2023 found PFASs (forever chemicals) in 7 out of 8 kale samples tested, with the highest concentration found in a sample of conventionally produced kale.³ PFASs are commonly found in a variety of different chemical pesticides.^{4 5} Choose organic greens to minimize your exposure to forever chemicals! 

Greens for a Greener Climate

Our agricultural practices play a major role in carbon cycling, for better or for worse. Conventional agricultural practices like tilling release massive amounts of CO2 from the soil, while organic farming strategies, such as no-till, cover cropping, and crop rotation, help to sequester carbon, drawing it back into the soil where it can nourish crops with the nutrients they need. And a study conducted over 40 years on the impacts of organic farming by the Rodale Institute showed that organic methods use 45 percent less energy while maintaining the same abundant yields.⁶ Organic kale, chard, and collard farming reduces greenhouse emissions, improves soil carbon and water sequestration, and increases the land’s resilience to extreme weather conditions. Choosing organic greens is a green choice for all.

Leafy Green Wonders

Kale, chard, and collard greens—they’re hardy, versatile, and beloved as the superfoods they are. Each of these greens is a wonder unto itself, with unique flavors and textures, though they share many nutritional qualities. These greens are loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, minerals including magnesium, potassium, and iron, and are a great source of fiber. They are also one of the best sources of the antioxidant lutein, a super nutrient for our eyes and brains.^{7 8 9} So “eat your organic greens!” knowing that you’re fueling your body with clean, unadulterated green goodness!

Try Our Healthy Potato Salad with Lemon Parsley Pesto Recipe

Looking for a healthier potato salad that’s easy to share with a group? This no-mayo take on potato salad relies on parsley pesto for flavor and adds the healthy crunch of kale. It’s a perfect picnic side that will keep folks coming back for more!

GET THE RECIPE

References

1. Dirty Dozen™ fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides. Environmental Working Group. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
2. Environmental Working Group. (n.d.). More Than Half of Kale Samples Tainted by Possibly Cancer-Causing Pesticide. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/kale.php
3. Ames-Sikora, M., Twombly, J., & Verkerk, R. (2023, June 21). PFAS in Kale Pilot Study. Alliance for Natural Health. https://anh-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/230621-ANH-USA-PFAS-in-K…
4. Pancras, T., Van Bentum, E., De Pagter, L., Van Hoef, M., Hoogenboom, R., Berendsen, B., & Van Leeuwen, S. (2024). Large scale study on PFASs levels in fruits, vegetables and soil from allotments and gardens contaminated by atmospheric deposition from a Dutch fluorochemical production plant. Chemosphere, 368, 143651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143651
5. De O Gomes, H., Menezes, J. M. C., Da Costa, J. G. M., Coutinho, H. D. M., Teixeira, R. N. P., & Nascimento, R. F. D. (2020). A socio-environmental perspective on pesticide use and food production. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 197, 110627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110627
6. Rodale Institute. (2024, August 7). Farming Systems Trial - Rodale Institute. https://rodaleinstitute.org/science/farming-systems-trial/
7. Kale, raw. FoodData Central. (2019, January 4). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
8. Chard, swiss, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt. FoodData Central. (2019, January 4). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
9. Collards, raw. FoodData Central. (2019, January 4). https://www.nal.usda.gov/human-nutrition-and-food-safety/food-compositi…