Which Fruits and Vegetables Should you buy Organic?
Learn which fruits and vegetables you should buy organic, and which you should NOT waste your money buying organic
Organic fruits and vegetables are believed to be healthier alternatives due to the absence of cancer causing pesticides. However, not all fruits and vegetables purchased need to be organic. In many countries, they can be very expensive and cost prohibitive. This list will help you to become a smarter shopper. Fruits and vegetables play an important role in eliminating toxins from your body. Eating organic produce, when appropriate, can one help further in their quest for health and wellness.
I recommend you familiarize yourself with this “Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen” list, provided by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Knowing this list will save you a lot of money when shopping.
This non-profit group placed the following items on its “Dirty Dozen” list of produce. The items have high levels of pesticide residue. When possible, these foods should have the “organic” label on them when purchased.
12 FOODS TO BUY ORGANIC (DIRTY DOZEN)
Strawberries
Spinach
Nectarines
Apples
Peaches
Celery
Grapes
Pears
Cherries
Tomatoes
Sweet bell peppers
Potatoes
The group also identified the “Clean 15” foods, which contain the least pesticide residue. That means you can buy the non-organic form and not worry about too much about pesticide exposure. If you notice, most of the foods on this list have a tick outer covering which protect them.
15 FOODS YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY ORGANIC (CLEAN 15)
Sweet corn
Avocados
Pineapples
Cabbage
Onions
Frozen sweet peas
Papayas
Asparagus
Mangoes
Eggplant
Honeydew
Kiwifruit
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Grapefruit
Oranges
References:
Baudry J, Assmann KE, Touvier M, et al. Association of Frequency of Organic Food Consumption With Cancer Risk: Findings From the NutriNet-Santé Prospective Cohort Study. JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178(12):1597–1606. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4357
Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list. Accessed December 9, 2017, https://www.ewg.org/
Mie A, Andersen HR, Gunnarsson S, et al. Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture: a comprehensive review. Environmental Health. 2017;16:111. doi:10.1186/s12940–017–0315–4.
Organic food and the impact on human health Sara Hurtado-Barroso, Anna Tresserra-Rimbau, Anna Vallverdú-Queralt & Rosa María Lamuela-Raventós Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition Vol. 0 , Iss. 0,0
