Which Foods Are Most important To Buy Organic?
By Troy Rampy, Editor, The Wellness Blog™
“Chemicals, n: Noxious substances from which modern foods are made.” ~Author Unknown
The debate as whether to buy organic versus non-organic food really seems to come down to finances: how much can you afford … as opposed to how much can you afford not to do?
It may be a more important issue than many of us realize. According to noted holistic health expert Andrew Weil, MD, “Eating fresh produce is the best way to obtain daily nutrients, but the pesticides used on many crops remain a major health concern. By choosing organic foods, you can reap the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without exposing yourself to potentially harmful chemicals.”
How to do that within the confines of an average food budget is the question. So here’s an easy way to nurture your body as you continue to nurture your pocket book. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit environmental advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, has put together the following two lists based on extensive research into which produce is most likely to contain harmful pesticide residues.
While a good rule of thumb is to try to buy organic as often as possible, you can use these two lists to help determine your produce purchasing habits:
The Dirty Dozen (Whenever possible, buy these organic.)
- Peaches
- Apples
- Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Grapes (Imported)
- Carrots
- Pears
The Clean 15 ( Better organic, but generally okay if not.)
- Onions
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Mangoes
- Asparagus
- Sweet Peas
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Papayas
- Watermelon
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
As someone recently said, “If organic farming is the natural way, shouldn’t organic produce just be called ‘produce’ and make the pesticide-laden stuff take the burden of an adjective?”
And here is what everyone’s favorite actress, Meryl Streep, has to say about this subject: “It’s bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children’s health than the pediatrician.”
