 Hello, greens lover! 🥬 This month my continuing coverage of Environmental Working Group (EWG) Dirty Dozen™ list covers leafy greens. Leafy Greens Rank #3 on the “Dirty Dozen” due to high pesticide counts on kale, collard, and mustard greens. USDA testing uncovered up to 21 different pesticides on a single sample, with 86% of tested greens containing two or more residues. 😫 One in four leafy green samples contained pyrethroid insecticides, specifically bifenthrin and cypermethrin. Studies suggest that exposure to these chemicals during pregnancy may affect a child’s brain development. Previous testing showed that 30% of kale carried imidacloprid—a neonicotinoid known for harming bees and possibly human nervous and reproductive systems. While it was accidentally omitted from the most recent USDA kale tests, it was still found on roughly 30% of recently tested collard and mustard greens. BUT DON’T WORRY! AND don’t skip your greens! Leafy greens are like a natural multivitamin for your body, packing an incredible amount of nutrition into a tiny, low-calorie package. Loaded with digestion-friendly fiber and vital nutrients (I’m lookin’ at you vitamins A, B2,3,5,6,9, C, E, K…WOW!!) eating fresh greens is one of the easiest ways to boost your brain power, strengthen your bones, and protect your heart from long-term disease. Pro-tip: try tossing them with a little drizzle of olive or avocado oil —healthy fats help your body absorb all those amazing vitamins much better! Here at Stillman’s Farm, we don’t use any of these pesticides on our greens. You can be completely confident eating all the greens you want, knowing that our farming practices are safe for our family, your family, and the environment. 😍 Stay healthy, stay informed, and eat more Stillman’s veggies! Eat Well,Geneviève Stillman  |