When Organic Is Better

We all know that organic foods provide no additional health or nutrition benefits  compared with nonorganic foods. But eating organic can often help reduce the amount of pesticides and other chemicals we consume directly through our food intake. I am quite aware that many fresh fruits and veggies contain harsh chemicals. However, like many Americans, I can’t always afford to buy organic produce, which in most cases, is more expensive than nonorganic.

The Dirty Dozen

According to the latest report by the Environmental Working Group, there are actually nonorganic fruits and veggies which may contain very low amounts of pesticides. In the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, the EWG lists 12 fruits/veggies to always buy organic because of their tendency to contain the highest amounts of pesticides. Likewise, they list 15 types of produce (the Clean 15) which contain low amounts of pesticides, and, therefore, would be safe to buy in the nonorganic form. Let’s take a look…

As reported by the EWG in its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides:

The Dirty DozenWorst Fruits/Veggies (those that contain the most pesticides and would be better to buy organic)

  1. Peach
  2. Apple
  3. Bell Pepper
  4. Celery
  5. Nectarine
  6. Strawberries
  7. Cherries
  8. Kale
  9. Lettuce
  10. Grapes (imported)
  11. Carrot
  12. Sweet Potato

The Clean 15 – Best Fruits/Veggies (those that contain the lowest amounts of pesticides and would be safe to buy in the nonorganic form)

  1. Onion
  2. Avocado
  3. Sweet corn
  4. Pineapple
  5. Mango
  6. Asparagus
  7. Sweet Peas
  8. Kiwi
  9. Cabbage
  10. Eggplant
  11. Papaya
  12. Watermelon
  13. Broccoli

You can actually download the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides for free. It’s a great cheat sheet to take with you to the grocery store to remind you which fruits and veggies to buy.

Happy Organic Shopping Everyone!