While I don’t want to eat pesticides, I also don’t want to eat insects. I had a little fright when I began to make my green juice this morning and discovered the only downside to organic produce (aside from the price):
   
Gross.
I know that in reality I probably consume many more bugs than I realize. And I’d rather eat bugs than eat pesticides. I just don’t want to SEE the bugs and have it in my mind that I am eating them. Blech. The celery went into the garb.
I remember Ruth Reichl saying that organic produce isn’t what it used to be in the seventies when there were insects and worms crawling in the apples. But of course we have to realize that when there aren’t pesticides, there WILL be pests. My friend Melanie found me this lovely chart. Enlighten yourselves:
| Are Bugs A Part of Your Diet? | |
|---|---|
| Product | Action Level |
| Apple butter | 5 insects per 100g |
| Berries | 4 larvae per 500g OR 10 whole insects per 500g |
| Ground paprika | 75 insect fragments per 25g |
| Chocolate | 80 microscopic insect fragments per 100g |
| Canned sweet corn | 2 3mm-length larvae, cast skins or fragments |
| Cornmeal | 1 insect per 50g |
| Canned mushrooms | 20 maggots per 100g |
| Peanut butter | 60 fragments per 100g (136 per lb) |
| Tomato paste, pizza, and other sauces | 30 eggs per 100g OR 2 maggots per 100g |
| Wheat flour | 75 insect fragmnets per 50g |
| Source: The Food Defect Action Levels: Current Levels for Natural or Unavoidable Defects for Human Use that Present No Health Hazard. Department of Health & Human Services 1989. | |
Like I said, I’m OK eating insects when I don’t have to actually SEE them. Moving on.Â
I had lots more to report on but my mind is a fuzzy hazy fog. My eyes are burning. I hate Excel. And also, this Michael Jackson news? Wow…. I feel very weird. It is so strange and sad at the same time.
I can’t believe it about MJ. Wow. Crazy. Kinda sad.
I keep finding flies in my lettuce. Blah.
I am so grossed out right now, I don’t even know what to say. Really. EEEEEEEWWWWWWW
oh ewwwwww!!! i think i just lost my breakfast!!! you poor thing!
cant wait to see what you got coming up for us!!
Bugs are inevitable but…I’d freak out if something that large were in my food too. Get some rest, would ya? 🙂
Re: bugs, ignorance is bliss as far as I’m concerned. If I can’t see it, it ain’t there. Gross thought though…
Oh also, I’ve been meaning to ask how you get Twitter to update when you post to your blog – is that manual or automatic?
EWWWWW i can’t believe that was in your celery….ugh…i kind of wish I didn’t read that list. haha oh well. knowledge is power!
i got your comment about the hazelnut milk.. try it anyway!! lol there is only 14 grams of sugar, how bad can that be? well.. i guess if you are counting sugar grams, it might be. i thought it was much better than the rice milk i used to get- or the chocolate soy milk that had over 20 grams of sugar! yikes!
hope you find one that is unsweetened SOMEPLACE!!!
sorry my laptop isnt coming out of hiding until tomorrow night- so no email!!
OH DANG about the hidden fibers!! I forgot about that! : (
Im not sure why they add those- i tried poking around online to see about unsweetened ones and nothing! Even tried looking at oat milk- and still added gums in there.. BUMMER!
May i suggest the unthinkable and making your own? ; ) (i dont think i would be motivated to do this myself lol)
I had the same thing happen to me with organic edamame- it totally grossed me out especially since it was a WORM!! Ewww!!
After looking at your chart, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite 🙁 On the up side I guess we are getting extra protein haha just j/k
yum. bugs.
yea, i agree with dori. as long i don’t have to see them, i guess i’ll have to put up with it. i just block them out of my mind while enjoying my food. It’s kinda of like blocking out of your mind what could be going on in the kitchens of restaurants you eat at. Ten-second rule, anyone?