The easiest thing a consumer can do when selecting which foods to buy organically is to get familiar with “The Dirty Dozen,” a guide put out by the Environmental Working Group which measures pesticide residue in common fruits and vegetables. They have been putting out these lists since 1995, and the statistics are gathered from the USDA and the FDA -- so you know it’s legitimate.
Currently, the top 12 fruits or vegetables contaminated with pesticides include:
(worst) Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach
Kale/collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes
Since these foods have the highest levels of pesticides in them, make the effort to buy them organic when possible. Balance out the grocery bill by buying your other goods conventional, especially those at the “best” spectrum of the list.
Those with the lowest traces of pesticide residues include:
(best) Onions
Avocado
Sweet corn (frozen)
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
When determining your weekly menus and shopping lists, consider which foods are worth it for you to buy organic, and which are suitable to buy conventional. You can even split up your shopping by only shopping at health stores for the organics, and buying the rest at your cheaper neighborhood grocery store. When it comes to budgeting, however, all experts from environmentalists to dietitians and public health officials agree: it is always best to eat whole, real foods, including conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables, over processed foods and less healthy alternatives.
I’ll repeat that: it is always best to eat whole, real foods, including conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables, over processed foods and less healthy alternatives.
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