A NEW TAKE ON MUESLI
I don’t know about your house, but in ours, breakfast seems to be one of the most chaotic meals of the day. Between packing lunchboxes, signing notes, finding coins for the bus and checking on afterschool plans, we somehow find time to eat. Usually it comes out of a muesli box, and with the addition of some milk and fruit, passes as a healthy meal.
Latest reading this week suggests that I’m fooling myself if I think giving my kids muesli for breakfast is a healthy choice. Last week saw the release of the latest New Zealand Total Diet Survey results. This ongoing food testing looks for pesticide residues in common New Zealand foods. This time it was the turn of the muesli box to come under scrutiny. The results made my hair stand on end!!
Four samples of muesli contained ten pesticide residues. Six of these ten were not just your average garden variety pesticide, but belonged to the list of pesticides highlighted by Pesticide Action Network as highly hazardous pesticides. These chemical nasties pose a known hazard to human health, increasing risk of cancer and endocrine (hormone) disruption.
“Ok”, I hear you say, “I’ll swap to a different cereal to avoid the pesticides”. I don’t like your chances! Bran cereal tested was almost as toxic, containing eight different pesticide residues. The Food Safety Authority (as usual) totally downplayed the findings, pointing out that each of the pesticide residues was below the legal limit. After years of reading and researching the subject of environmental toxins and their effect on our health, I know this reassurance is utter codswollop (don’t you love that word). As the highly clued up, Dr Meriel Watts from the Pesticide Action Network points out, low level exposure to pesticides can cause both cancer and endocrine problems. Add together six different pesticide residues at the breakfast table, each of which are known to cause these problems, and you most definitely have a health risk. Pesticides are always tested in isolation when their potentially negative effects are investigated. Studies show us, that mixing together chemicals which are seemingly “safe” at small doses, can result in new toxic effects.
Overall, in the various food groups tested, 25 different pesticide residues were found, amongst 33 different food types. 19 of the pesticides are on the Pesticide Action Network International list of highly hazardous pesticides.
So, should we all stop eating muesli for breakfast? I don’t think so. It is after all a great way to start the day with whole grains, fruits, nuts, and a low glycemic energy boost. Maybe now though, it’s time to pay the extra and choose the organic version. After all, certified organic muesli doesn’t contain any pesticide residues, and you can be sure as you kids head out into the new day, they’re not taking with them a stomach full of pesticides and toxins.
To your Good Health
Lynda Wharton
www.lyndawharton.com