Which Organic Foods Should I Buy?

Which Organic Foods Are Worth Buying?

While you may have heard that eating organic foods may be healthier than eating non-organic foods, did you know that there are some foods you should consider always buying USDA certified organic? Yes, it can be hard to buy organic everything due to budget constraints, but you can still up your healthy living game by choosing to go organic on the foods that are at higher risk for contamination than others. Not only do you reap the reward of healthier products, but it’s a little kinder on your wallet, too. The best way to do this is by keeping a list handy when you shop. Even better, you don’t even have to come up with this list on your own. It’s one already in existence and it is typically updated each year. You might have even heard of it. One is called the Dirty Dozen and the other is called the Clean 15. The Dirty Dozen covers the top 12 produce items you should try to buy organic whenever possible, and the Clean 15 shares the top 15 produce items that are fairly safe to buy non-organic. Once you get a handle on buying organic produce, you can begin exploring the many other organic products available on the market today, and really start experimenting in the kitchen.  

Does Buying Organic Matter?

Good question. You might wonder why you should bother buying organic food at all. It’s more expensive. It’s harder to find. And, isn’t all food nutritious? While that may be true, we think it’s prudent not to confuse nutrition with health. An organic pear, for instance, could hold very similar nutritional values as a non-organic pear when compared side-by-side. However, buying organic is arguably much kinder on the environment. Food that is produced using organic practices may eliminate the contamination of water and soil and help keep local wildlife thriving instead of dying. It’s thought to encourage biodiversity and discourage the effects of global warming and erosion.

What Foods are Dirty?

While the list may change from year to year, the Dirty Dozen is compiled from data based on how people handle produce before they get ready to eat it. Certain foods have a high level of pesticide residue, while others have a much lower level. The foods with the lower levels of pesticide residues make the Clean 15 list. The foods with higher levels of pesticide residue are dubbed “dirty.” Below is the list as well as some stats based on the information provided by EWG.org.

1. Apples: 90% of non-organic apples tested positive for detectable pesticides. 80% of those apples tested positive for diphenylamine, a pesticide that has been banned in Europe. 
2. Cherries: Non-organic cherries tested positive for at least five different pesticides. 30% of those cherries were contaminated with iprodione, also banned in Europe. Sadly, this pesticide may also possibly cause cancer.
3. Celery: 95% of the celery that was tested for pesticides came back positive, with 13 different pesticides found in those samples.
4. Grapes: Over 96% of grapes contained pesticide residues, with an average of five different residues found.
5. Hot Peppers: The samples tested for hot peppers confirmed that three-quarters were contaminated with pesticide residues. Not only that, but they contained traces of pesticides considered highly toxic. 
6. Pears: Despite their sweet flavor, pears can be contaminated with high concentrations of a few different pesticides, insecticides and fungicides. More than half tested positive for at least five different types of pesticide residue.
7. Peaches: On average, four different pesticide residues were found on over 99% of non-organic peaches.
8. Potatoes: By weight, non-organic potatoes tested positive for more pesticide residues than any other crops tested. Chlorpropham was the pesticide found the most. 
9. Sweet Bell Peppers: Nearly 90% of sweet bell peppers tested positive for pesticides. Though they may contain fewer residues than some of the other foods listed on the Dirty Dozen, the pesticides they do have are often highly toxic. 
10. Strawberries: One-third of strawberries tested positive for 10 or more different pesticide residues. Even worse, there was one sample that tested positive for 22 different residues, making them one of the dirtiest of the “dirty.”
11. Spinach: 97% of the spinach tested contained residues of pesticides, especially permethrin. Permethrin is a neurotoxic insecticide and was found in high concentrations on the samples tested. 
12. Tomatoes: Tomatoes tested positive for four different pesticide residues, with at least 15 found on one sample.

As you can see, there are some big considerations to think of when choosing to buy organic or conventionally farmed produce. If you keep your buying efforts focused on the Dirty Dozen, you can increase the number of organic foods you consume and eat healthier, without breaking the bank.