To Buy or Not To Buy – That is the Question

There are a lot of good reasons to choose locally grown, organic produce when possible. Those fruits and vegetables that have traveled the globe to get here usually are picked early and ripened through a chemical process. Others have to be treated so they do not spoil before reaching your grocer’s shelves. The perfectly round peaches, straight as an arrow carrots, or no blemishes on apples have to be heavily treated to avoid the pests or disease that like to eat them right before being picked.

Organic food is admittedly more expensive. If you want to maximize the good you do to your body while minimizing the cost, you could choose to purchase organic produce for the fruits and vegetables which tend to have the most pesticides in the United States. It is estimated that if a consumer avoids eating non-organically grown produce in the top 12 (“Dirty Dozen”) on this list, pesticide exposure can be reduced by up to 80%. This list was compiled by the Environmental Working Group.  Bear in mind that there are many fruits and vegetables that are not on this list — these were chosen because they are most commonly eaten.

EWG analyzed pesticide residue testing data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration to come up with the rankings for these popular produce items. All foods are listed from worst to best.   (lower number =more pesticides)

1. Apples
2. Strawberries
3. Grapes
4. Celery
5. Peaches
6. Spinach
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Nectarines – imported
9. Cucumbers
10. Cherry tomatoes
11. Snap Peas – imported
12. Potatoes
13. Hot Peppers
14. Blueberries – domestic
15. Lettuce
16. Kale/ Collard Greens
17. Plums
18. Cherries
19. Nectarines – domestic
20. Pears
21. Tangerines
22. Carrots
23. Blueberries – imported
24. Green Beans
25. Winter Squash
26. Summer Squash
27. Raspberries
28. Broccoli
29. Snap Peas – Domestic
30. Green onions
31. Oranges
32. Bananas
33. Tomatoes
34. Watermelon
35. Honeydew Melons
36. Mushrooms
37. Sweet Potatoes
38. Cauliflower
39. Cantaloupe
40. Grapefruit
41. Eggplant
42. Kiwi
43. Papayas
44. Mangoes
45. Asparagus
46. Onions
47. Sweet Peas – frozen
48. Cabbage
49. Pineapples
50. Sweet Corn
51. Avocados

If cost is a concern as you start your change to healthy eating and living. Use this list. If you purchase any items from the top of the list, pick these from the organic section of your store. Better yet support your local Farmer’s markets and buy fresh right from the source. You can talk to the farmer who grew your fruits and veggies for all the information about their products. Many of these farmers will gladly help you buy the best for your family’s needs.

To your best health,

Coach Nancy