Last year, the E.coli contamination of spinach crops in the States gave me a run for my money. Even in Bermuda, people started abandoning the salad bars in favour of fried chicken, which just goes to show how easily we can fall off the wagon. It's ironic that we will use any tentative bit of evidence to shy away from five-a-day, and yet the irrefutable fact that saturated fat is linked to heart disease has yet to cause a stand-off from KFC.

With never a dull moment, and this week, with news anchors announcing a link between pesticides and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in children, the world of fruit and veg is taking another knock. According to American and Canadian scientists writing for the Journal of Pediatrics, the organophosphate pesticides used on produce have significant links to the incidence of neurological problems in children.

It's important to understand that despite the terminology, organophosphates are not organic or natural. Rather they are man-made pesticides that kill insects by "interrupting" them neurologically. Fortunately, a bright spark at the University of Montreal in Quebec investigated whether or not this neurological interruption caused problems in children too – and the results were a little alarming.

It seems that whilst organophosphates are thought to wash out of the body very quickly, as children have rapidly developing neurological systems, even the small amounts found on some fruit and vegetables can cause a problem. The study found traces of these chemicals on 28 percent of frozen blueberries and 25 percent of frozen strawberries tested. It also determined that for every ten-fold increase of organophosphate residue in a child's urine, there was a 55 percent increased risk for ADHD.

So as a conscientious parent, where does this leave you? Certainly the answer is not to replace fresh fruit with Cheeze-its or a smoothie with a Sunkist. In this instance, you would just be swapping one trigger of ADHD for another, as artificial colourings and flavourings are also linked to ADHD. Crucially, even if some fruit and veggies do contain traces of chemicals, they also at least contain the antioxidant-rich nutrients and fibre that benefit the body in so many other ways. In contrast, I have nothing redeeming to say about Cheeze-its or Sunkist.

So abandoning fruit and vegetables in a quest to manage or avoid ADHD is not a clever step, but it does help to be wise when it comes to your options. Buying organic is one way to avoid organophosphates, but it can get expensive – especially in Bermuda. Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently updated their "dirty dozen" and "clean 15" listings, which will help you make sensible, informed decisions when it comes to picking fruit and veg.

If you buy your produce (fresh or frozen) in a grocery store here, then most of it will have been farmed in the States. As an American charity, the EWG undertook significant research to determine which were the most – and least – contaminated fruits and vegetables in the country. Using their listing, it would be wise to choose organic versions of the 12 most contaminated, and not to worry about purchasing non-organic versions of the 15 least contaminated – especially if this would blow your budget.

Of course, some organically grown, local produce is available at our Farmers Markets and roadside stalls too. Not only do you avoid chemical exposure by buying this produce, but you are also making an environmentally friendly purchase as local produce doesn't have the carbon footprint of imported goods. Further, local food tends to have a higher nutritional value as it makes its way from the earth to your table so quickly, but due to the concerns above, do try and buy organic where possible.

When it comes to shopping at our grocery stores however, you may want to keep this listing with you. It's also available as a pdf on the EWG website (www.ewg.org) if you would like the official version. You also have the option of buying Veggie Wash (www.veggie-wash.com) which is available in many of the fresh produce departments here. Veggie Wash claims to remove wax and chemicals from fruit and veg so it may be a useful back-up option.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda@gmail.com