Going Organic
Confusion often surrounds organic food particularly fruit and vegetables.
- Is it actually better for you?
- Is it worth paying the price?
- If you have to be selective with your organic purchase due to budget constraints, because yes organics are, in most cases, more expensive than their non-organic commercial counterparts, what is the best to buy?
Fortunately for you and for me, the Americas Environmental Working Group carries out an annual study on fruit and vegetables.
When researching for this article, I hoped to provide you with a list by country i.e. Australia, United States, UK etc., alas that could not be found!
The AEWG list is still relevant to all however, as the pesticide and chemical absorption is based on the porosity of the skin and the structure of the plant. Which is 99% of cases is the same whether the apples are grown in Mildura or Minnesota!
The key findings frighteningly were …
- “99 percent of apple samples, 98 percent of peaches, and 97 percent of nectarines tested positive for at least one pesticide residue
- The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other produce
- A single grape sample and a sweet bell pepper sample contained 15 pesticides
- Single samples of cherry tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece” 1
So who are the Dirty Dozen?
(Which this year has been expanded to the Dirty Eighteen!)
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Capsicums
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherries
- Cucumber
- Grapes
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Zucchini
And introducing The Clean 15…
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi Fruit
- Mangoes
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Pineapple
- Rock Melon
- Sweetcorn
- Sweet Peas
- Sweet Potato
- Water Melon
So what can you do now?
- Use this list as a guide to help you when shopping.
- If you are going to spend your money on organic fruit and vegetables, then spend it on those from the dirty dozen.
- Look at purchasing your fruit and vegetables from your local Farmers Market. The have great produce and you’re supporting them (and the environment) by shopping local. Often if you go at then end of the day you will pick up fabulous bargains!
- Grow your own, and then you have complete control over the environment of your produce.
For a long time now I’ve wanted a veggie garden of my own and it’s yet to become a reality. However with the increased use of chemicals and pesticides in commercial farming, which is having a huge negative impact on our health, then maybe it time.
1. Environmental Working Group (2015) EWG’s 2015 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.