A recent study* confirms that eating an 80% organic diet for just one week can reduce urinary concentrations of organophosphate pesticides (OPs) by 89% in comparison to regular food consumption. The study shows that the diet is the main route for organophosphate exposure.

OPs are the most common insecticide used in Australia.  They are used on many crops including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and pastures.

High level exposure of these OPs leads to death but it’s thought the chronic low level we are exposed to can lead to:
1.    Neurological problems such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Parkinson’s Disease.  (Growing children are particularly susceptible to these chemicals.)
2.    Reduced testosterone (and other hormones).  This can lead to reduced male fertility.
3.    Leukaemia and lymphoma.  Several studies have linked organophosphate pesticides to these cancers.

Organic food is becoming more freely available – the fewer chemicals we expose ourselves to, the better!

* Oates L, Cohen M, Braun L, Schembri A, Taskova R. Reduction in urinary organophosphate pesticide metabolites in adults after a week-long organic diet. Environ Res. 2014 Jul;132:105-11.