By Meredith Melnick Tuesday, June 14, 2011
由梅雷迪恩.梅尔尼克提供 2011年6月14日 周二
On Monday, the environmental health activists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released their annual report on pesticides in produce, ranking the "cleanest" and "dirtiest" fruits and vegetables, based on levels and types of pesticide residue found in government tests.
本周一,环境工作小组(EWG)的环境健康积极分子们公布了关于农产品中农药残留的年度报告,根据政府抽检的农产品中农药残留的水平和类型,将“最干净”和“污染最严重”的水果蔬菜排名。
Apples topped the list of most contaminated produce, jumping three spots from last year on the EWG's "Dirty Dozen" list. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, pesticides showed up on 98% of some 700 apples tested. Coming in behind apples were celery (last year's No. 1) and strawberries.
在受污染最严重的农产品中,苹果从EWG报告中“12种污染严重果蔬”名单上的第四位跃居榜首。据美国农业部调查,在700个受检苹果中,98%都有农药残留。仅次于苹果的是芹菜(去年是第一位)和草莓。
The EWG's report, which it refers to as a "Shopper's Guide," also included a "Clean 15" list of conventional produce with the lowest pesticide loads. Topping that ranking: onions, corn and pineapples.
我们通常称之为“顾客向导”的EWG报告还包含一份农药残留最少的传统农产品“15种无公害果蔬”名单。排在前三位的是:洋葱、玉米和菠萝。
Certainly, everyone can agree that pesticides are generally not good for human health. Indeed, higher exposure in kids has been associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; maternal exposure has been linked with children's lower IQ; and excessive pesticide exposure can increase the risk of some cancers.
当然,人人都会认同农药往往对人体无益。的确,已经证实,农药残留果蔬摄入越多,儿童越易患注意力不集中的过度反应症;孕妇食用污染果蔬,孩子智商就会比其他孕妇的孩子低;过渡食用污染果蔬,还可能增加患癌症的风险。
But it's not clear how dangerous pesticide residue in produce may be for the average consumer eating an apple or a grape. As my colleague Bryan Walsh pointed out over on Ecocentric, there are a few nuances that get lost in the EWG's rankings:
然而,农产品中农药残留对苹果或葡萄的一般食用者的危害程度还不得而知。正如我的同事布莱恩.沃尔什在生态中心论中指出的,EWG报告中的排名忽略了一些细微差别。
It's important to keep in mind that the USDA found that just 3% of all the samples of produce, beef and rice it analyzed in this survey had either unapproved chemicals or improper levels of pesticide — at least by the government's standards.
美国农业部发现,在所有受检的牛肉、稻米样品中,据该调查分析,仅有3%含有未获批准的化学物质或农药残留超标---起码依据政府设定的标准是如此,记住这一点是非常重要的。
As the U.S. Apple Association also noted in a statement [PDF]: "Of the over 700 apple-samples that were tested by the USDA, the vast majority fell well below EPA approved safety levels. ... The [Dirty Dozen] 'list' does not pay attention to the actual levels of residues in the various foods which are within those tolerance (safe) levels, but simply states that residues were detected."
美国苹果协会也在一次声明中指出:“在美国农业部检查的700多个苹果样品中,很大一部分低于美国环保局批准的安全水平……【12种污染严重果蔬】名单未注意各种食品中的实际残留量其实都是在其容忍(安全)水平范围内的,而只是强调检测出了残留。”
One thing on which nutrition experts, the government and the EWG agree is that the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh any risk of pesticide exposure. That means Americans should be eating at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day — half your plate at each meal, the government recommends — a standard that all too few people actually meet.
不过,营养专家、政府以及环境工作小组达成的其中一点共识即是,富含水果蔬菜的膳食对健康的益处比任何农药残留对人的危害都重要。那就意味着美国人每天至少要吃5种水果蔬菜---政府建议果蔬应占每餐的一半---实际上极少人可以达到这个标准。
Walsh writes:
沃尔什写道:
We [should] all be trying to reduce exposure to pesticides and other chemicals in our food supply — producers, consumers and the government. But the number one priority should be to ensure that Americans eat their fruits and veggies — wherever they come from.
我们(应)尽力减少摄入食物中的残留农药及其他化学物质---农业生产者、消费者以及政府三方都要负起责任。但是最重要的还是应确保国人吃水果蔬菜---无论它们来自哪里。
If you're concerned about your family's pesticide load, the EWG recommends buying certified organic produce, which should be pesticide-free. Of course, that can get expensive. Alternatively, you can stick to the EWG's list of clean but conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, which includes such good-for-you foods as sweet potatoes, avocados and grapefruit.
如果您担心家里水果蔬菜中的农药残留,EWG建议您购买合格的有机产品,是不含农药的。当然也是非常昂贵的。另外,您还可以坚持EWG报告中的传统方法养植的无公害果蔬名单,包括一些有益健康的食物如番薯、鳄梨和葡萄柚等。
Further, according to the EWG's calculations, people who eat five servings of "clean" produce a day and avoid the Dirty Dozen can reduce their overall pesticide exposure by 92% and reduce the number of pesticide types they consume as well.
而且,根据EWG计算,每天吃5种“无公害”果蔬、不吃“12种污染严重果蔬”的人,可以减轻92%的农药危害,同时还能减少他们摄入的农药种类。
The bottom line, however, is that you shouldn't avoid fruits and vegetables because of a fear of pesticides. If you swapped out potentially pesticide-laden fresh foods for a steady diet of processed foods, you wouldn't be doing your body any favors: processed foods, which are typically high in sodium, fat and sugar and low in fiber, are associated with a host of health problems, including heart disease and stroke.
不过关键是不能因为害怕农药就不吃水果蔬菜。如果你把可能含有农药的新鲜食物换作加工的固定膳食,对你的身体没有任何益处。加工食物的钠、脂肪和糖分含量特别高,但纤维含量很低,是导致许多健康问题的重要因素,例如心脏病和中风。
A full ranking of 53 vegetables and fruits, along with the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15, are available on the EWG website. You can also glance at the lists below:
在EWG官网上,你可以看到53种水果蔬菜以及12种污染严重果蔬、15种无公害果蔬的排行。你也可以先简单看看以下排名:
Dirty Dozen:
12种污染严重果蔬
1. Apples苹果
2. Celery芹菜
3. Strawberries草莓
4. Peaches蜜桃
5. Spinach菠菜
6. Imported nectarines进口油桃
7. Imported grapes进口葡萄
8. Sweet bell peppers甜青椒
9. Potatoes土豆
10. Blueberries蓝莓
11. Lettuce莴苣
12. Kale/collard greens甘蓝/羽衣甘蓝
Clean 15:
15种无公害果蔬
1. Onions洋葱
2. Corn玉米
3. Pineapples菠萝
4. Avocado鳄梨
5. Asparagus芦笋
6. Sweet peas香豌豆
7. Mangoes芒果
8. Eggplant茄子
9. Domestic cantaloupe美国哈密瓜
10. Kiwi猕猴桃
11. Cabbage卷心菜
12. Watermelon西瓜
13. Sweet potatoes番薯
14. Grapefruit葡萄柚
15. Mushrooms蘑菇
原文阅读:http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/14/dirty-or-not-you-still-need-to-eat-your-fruits-and-veggies/