Shobita Neupane

Published On: June 14, 2018 07:21 AM NPT By: Shobita Neupane

The poison we eat

The poison we eat

I had been staring at an apple in my hand for almost ten minutes. As a child, everyone around me told that an apple a day kept the doctors away.  The belief persuaded my mother to arrange diced apples neatly for breakfast every morning. Little did I know then that the apples thought to be packed with health benefits could send me rushing to the hospital. 

Now, even the thought of devouring adulterated food makes me sick to my gut. I wonder when we started consuming food items along with chemicals due to the attraction towards extra shine and enhanced flavor. With no knowledge, as our attraction towards these spotless food increases, the chemicals packed within have hollowed our immune system, and vital organs.

Even a few decades back, apples grew naturally, efficiently resisting pests, and yielding sweetness and flaunting tempting shine. But now, after decades of rampant use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and growth hormones, the bugs have built up resistance even against lethal chemicals. Their immunity translates to a higher dose of toxins to ensure adequate growth.

Looking back in time, in the 19th century, first chemical fertilizers were created by treating bones with sulfuric acid. Arsenic-based pesticides gained dominance when chemical compound DDT, Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, was introduced. Its introduction marked the beginning of countless inventions of chemical fertilizers. 

In a nutshell, the charming appearance allures consumers to buy such apples containing life-threatening chemicals. Though plants sprayed with chemical pesticides have a better ability to keep pests at bay, the chemicals in return devastated the minerals of soil. Also, the ability of pests to adapt to severe conditions compels farmers to use stronger doses eventually increasing the level of poison in our food. 

Neupane is a student studying in IAAS,  Puranchaur.

poison, eat,

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