As we increase our intake of healthy fruits and vegetables it’s necessary to navigate the organic vs. non-organic decision. In a perfect world all the produce we buy would be naturally free of pesticides. We live in a time where farming practices have moved to large scale farms that rely on using Round Up and other weedkillers.
There is a resource to help with our decision. The Dirty Dozen list. (There is also a Clean 15). The EWG (Environmental Working Group) publishes a list of fruits and vegetables each year ranking them based on level of contamination.
If you want to minimize your exposure, this list can be a guide.
Dirty Dozen list (these have the highest levels)
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes
Two additional foods to buy organic:
- Raisins
- Oats
Organic choices of the above are not always available, and often cost more. It’s not to make it a problem, but to make the best choice possible for you. Sometimes we want to look at the bigger picture and realize our purchasing decisions impact future offerings. We can look into options to buy from small local farms, or create a community garden, or even start with growing tomatoes or herbs at home.
