Buy these foods organic
Pesticides can damage human health, so minimizing the amount we eat is important, says the Environmental Working Group, which has put out a list of foods the experts there say we should buy organic.
Washing and peeling help but don't fully rid fruits and vegetables of the stuff.
The EWG took a look at the residue left behind during tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration and the complete list is here, but here are the top bunch that they recommend buying organic:
Peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, bell peppers, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots and pears.
Here's the list that has the lowest levels of pesticides, if you can't find organic or would like to mix in some non-organic -- and cheaper -- produce:
Onions, avocadoes, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelons, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes.
Got tips for buying or eating organic? Tell us about them.
Comments
Thank you for encouraging your readers to buy organic. The Organic Trade Association would just caution people against the idea of limiting their organic purchases to a small list of produce items. While there may be merit in this argument, it misses an important point: buying organic is about more than keeping pesticides out of our bodies. It is about supporting a system of sustainable agricultural management that promotes soil health and fertility through the use of such methods as crop rotation and cover cropping, which nourish plants, foster species diversity, help combat climate change, prevent damage to valuable water resources, and protect farmers and farmers’ families from exposure to harmful chemicals. In this sense, buying organic is a commitment to the bigger, more complex picture of which our personal health is a part.
www.organicitsworthit.com
Posted by: OrganicTrade | May 29, 2009 9:11 AM
A lot of small local farms can't afford the organic certification but their practices are basically organic. Farmers at the market are happy to tell you what they do. Buy local!
Good point. If you buy local you can ask questions. --MC
Posted by: Lesley | May 29, 2009 12:34 PM
This is a great list, and I'm so glad people are looking at these numbers! There are a lot of other factors though, that make a purchase friendly to our children, farmers, and planet. I was surprised to hear that conventional peanut butter that is not only harmful to regular consumers -- but later generations as well! Traces can actually be found in children and grandchildren just from a parent eating it. So while you should keep this list in your hip pocket, I suggest you also check out this other awesome list, dubbed "Dr. Greene's Organic Rx", "http://www.drgreene.com/21_2154.html". I think it's in print and video form there.
Thanks for spreading the green word!
Posted by: Claire | June 16, 2009 6:43 PM
Organic certified or not? organic certification is very expensive, immagine i have chestnuts, who can treat chestnuts with pesticides?
I have notwithstanding organic certification for chestnuts.
Michele
Posted by: michele maione | June 25, 2009 3:25 PM