It has long been known that certain fruits and vegetables consistently show higher levels of contamination and pesticide residue than others, because many of them have delicately thin skins or no skin at all. In mangoes and avocados, the thick, durable skin is completely separated from the flesh inside the fruit and serves as an effective barrier against harmful chemicals. In thin-skinned fruits such as apples, peaches, berries, and unfortunately grapes, the protection offered is negligible and contamination is extensive.
Fruits and vegetables make our drink
As I’m sure we all know, grapes are the main component used in winemaking and, you guessed it, all the pesticide residues that are absorbed are transferred directly into the delicious alcoholic beverage they produce. This is an amazing and disturbing revelation to me, who has always been under the impression that a daily glass of red wine is of immense benefit to overall health. As I learn more and more about the low standards maintained by the food industry, I am alternately appalled at them for what they do, and at myself for not realizing it sooner.
The health benefits of wine are definitely not in dispute, but the harmful effects of chemicals are likely to detract from or outweigh them altogether. Luckily, once we educate ourselves, we discover that, as always, there is an alternative.
Organic Wines
The USDA-regulated term “organic” has universal meaning when applied within the United States, whether to food, produce, or products made from them, in this case organic wine. The USDA Family Labeling Standard means the same for organic wine as it does for other foods.
- 100% Organic – 100% of the ingredients used to make the wine are organic. No additional additives or preservatives such as sulfites are added, although they may be natural.
- Organic – Made with 95 – 99% organic ingredients, again without the addition of condoms. Both “Organic” and “100% Organic” are authorized to display the green USDA organic symbol.
- Made with Organic Ingredients: Refers to products that contain between 70 and 94% organic ingredients. Sulfites may be added, but not to exceed 100 parts per million. These products do not bear the USDA seal.
There is a third category of wine, known as “biodynamic” wine, which is essentially the same as 100% organic. However, the term biodynamic indicates that producing farmers manage their farms in a way that mimics the natural rhythms of nature as much as possible. The idea of ​​biodynamics is that all parts of the farm, from the plants they grow to the soil they grow them in, are fundamentally interlocking parts of an autonomous, self-nourishing, self-sufficient system. This means that the conditions within the farm are designed to work indefinitely without the introduction of external resources. Some characteristics of biodynamic agriculture are the extensive use of compost and other natural fertilizers, as well as the astrological coordination of planting and harvesting.
All organic wine can be considered safe and free from pesticide contamination, yet it still has countless health benefits. And while I specifically like to look for biodynamic wines whenever possible, because I believe the system they use is the most sustainable and by far the noblest, I am in no way opposed to buying plain organic wine and supporting the people who make them. produce.