Bananas

[Rick2009]

Hi folks,

I'm here to learn more about AC's views on live foods.

My main food these days is banana/kale smoothie. I have been on and off 100% raw for about 10 years now. I have been learning and tweaking all that time as well. It saved my life: my arteries had begun to clog..they are in hugely better shape now.

I do have a question that I hope someone can help me with. Are regular bananas safe from contaminants and heavy metals? Or are organic bananas a must? There is a huge price difference..more so than other organic equivalents. Some think that its not necessary to go organic on bananas.


I recently gave up one of my all time favorite foods...kelp, dulse and nori seaweeds. Apparently some high levels of contaminants were found in kelp. I love seaweed... but it seems like a risky choice.

All good, all of the best,

[rawrawks]

I buy organic bananas....pesticides are pesticides to me. My body I live in..soooo worth it.

[Rick2009]

makes sense... I guess thats the only way to be sure

All good,

[Veganelle]

I buy organic bananas, but strangely enough, where I live, I find the opposite to be true in terms of price difference. I can generally get organic bananas for 99 cents a pound, and non-organic for 79 cents. At such a small difference, it's a no-brainer for me to buy organic.

In terms of how important it is to buy organic bananas, I recall reading in more than one source that bananas tend to be considered a lower pesticide fruit. Fruits with thin, edible skins, such as peaches, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, apples, peppers, etc., are the ones I would recommend buying organic as much as possible.

[contessa20]

With bananas, I don't bother with organic. Bananas are low on the list of pesticide ridden fruits and since I can get them for .25 a pound while the organic ones are .99 a pound, I can't justify the huge price difference.

[Rick2009]

Greetings Contessa,

The price diff here in the Montreal area is about the same as in your area. Raw fooders here consume a lot of regular bananas...for the same reasons you mentioned. I think I might opt for regular bananas and only buy organic ones when they are on special.

All good,

[Veganforlife]

Organic is the ideal way to eat, but there are many fruits and veggies that are safer if not organic. Those with thick(er) skins, bananas, oranges, grapefruits, etc. Those berries - strawberries, blueberries, grapes, anything that has no skin or a thin(ner) skin should be washed if not organic...

[Veganforlife]

Hi folks,

I'm here to learn more about AC's views on live foods.



Hey Rick2009 - do you have Alissa's book and DVDs? You will learn a LOT from them...

[Rick2009]

Greetings Veganforlife,
Thanks for the useful information.

Relative to Alissa,s vision, I will be going with a dvd version when my schedule permits. I find dvd's are easier to store. Books on health matters can get cumbersome. I just donated about 50 to our local library. I am doing a total de-clutter and dvd's are easy keepers.

[Veganforlife]

Got 'cha! If you should get a chance to borrow it though, it's so worth it. I have over 40 Raw books and hers hands-down is THE best.
Take care!

[snoops]

Rick2009 - the dvd is great as it shows you how to make some of the recipes but it does not have ALL the recipes that are in the book. You should at least look at the book before you decide not to buy it. The dvd is just an addition to...does not have the same information that the book does.

[Rick2009]

Thanks for the 'heads-up' about the book. I will keep that in mind.

All good,

[T-Bird]

I have been on and off 100% raw for about 10 years now. I have been learning and tweaking all that time as well. It saved my life: my arteries had begun to clog..they are in hugely better shape now.

Bananas aside, I'd like to hear more about this story!

[Rick2009]

T-Bird,

I thought I was eating well... but found myself in an operating room with a miniature camera system into my wrist and up through my arteries..(they usually go in through the thigh arterie.)

Well the cardiac surgeon indicated on the TV screen the clogging that had begun in my arteries. He told me one stent had to be inserted in an area that was particularily affected.

The whole scene was traumatic. As soon as I got out of the hospitol I went on a fact finding mission. The best and most useful info was a book by Dr Dean Ornish, a noted cardiologist,..about reversing heart disease thru diet...we"re talking 10% fat. I followed the diet religiously.. no transition.. no cheating. I had a stress test a year later. My cardio system was in the category of trained athletes.

After a chest pain my arteries were re-examined..clean ! The pain was attributed to muscular pain.. not cardiac related. The Dr asked me if I was doing exercise.. apparently they see reversal in patients who get into exercise. The Reversal Diet I know helped..I felt different. 10% fat was making me feel better and better. I added some omega..within months, my lipid profile was below minimum..my bad lipids and tri's were so low as to not even be on the scale!

I tweak along... but never knowingly go over the 10% fat limit that Dr Ornish recommends. Now, my goal is to live a high quality, active life into the 120 year range. Hence the raw whole foods.

All good, be well,