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Boston area, MA, United States

Friday, April 30, 2010

Blueberries...the bougie fruit

I am annoyed...

Apparently all the fruits and veggies known as "superfoods" are now dangerous to eat because of the massive amounts of pesticides sprayed on them.  Blueberries, strawberries, cherries, celery are foods that have thin membranes and therefore absorb chemical treatments used to deter pests.  Unfortunately, we are ingesting them daily because people have been told that they provide antioxidants and other organic chemicals to fight infections.

Has anyone seen the price of these superfoods?  Shopping at Whole Foods, the prices are no surprise because they are supporting local farms (supposedly).  Places like Shaw's, Stop & Shop or in the West Coast, Safeway--berry fruits cost up to $4.99 a pound!  But the real issue is that now we're supposed to buy strictly "organic" fruits that have been grown in pesticide-free, conventionally grown environments. 

So, now fruits have gone bourgeois.  Buying organic isn't just about eating healthy foods, it also demonstrates your social status.  I don't see local bodegas rushing to sell organic fruits and frankly, most low-middle income can't afford to buy a pound of bing cherries for $7.99 let alone those who subsist on government aid.  Are organic fruits and veggies being distributed in food pantries?  I doubt it.  This is just another way to classify poverty, nutritionally.

If the government had any real power, this war on poverty and obesity would have an effect on this organic vs. regular foods and start changing the way people eat, poor or not!  Why would a single mom with 3 kids buy a box of Kashi cereal for $4.59 when Fruity Pebbles cost $2.50?  It's not because she doesn't know about good food, she's worried about having more money in her pocket!

Ughhh!

2 comments:

  1. I think you should post this on the HRNC website, RELEVANT!!

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  2. It's true - with prices as they are, it is no wonder that many people in neighborhoods of lower economic means simply do not have the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. At the same time, a fast food dinner for four may cost so little (It'd be about $35 at McDonald's in the Netherlands!).

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