Organic

There are more organic fruits and vegetables available from local producers and in the grocery stores, but is it worth the extra money?

The USDA makes no claim that organic food is superior nutritionally, tastes better, or is safer than conventionally grown produce. Foods must meet certain standards and requirements to be considered organic by the USDA.

Organic fruits and vegetables do not have the levels of pesticides that conventionally grown ones do have. Some research has shown a link between these pesticides and certain diseases and conditions in children, including a diminished IQ in children age 6 to 9, nerve damage, and ADHD.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has compiled the "dirty dozen" which is the 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest level of pesticides. They have also compiled the "clean 15" which have the least amount of pesticides. This data is from 2010 and the newest data from 2011 will be released later this year.

Dirty dozen (2010)
1. celery
2. peaches
3. strawberries
4. apples
5. blueberries
6. nectarines
7. bell peppers
8. spinach
9. cherries
10. kale/collard greens
11. potatoes
12. grapes (imported)

Clean fifteen (2010)
1. onion
2. avocado
3. sweet corn
4. pineapple
5. mango
6. asparagus
7. kiwi
8. sweet peas
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. cantaloupe
12. watermelon
13. grapefruit
14. sweet potatoes
15. honeydew melon

A full list is available from the EWG with 49 fruits and vegetables and their pesticide ranking as well.

While the health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables outweighs the risks of pesticide exposure, it is still something to think about. Try buying organic whenever possible, or replace fruits and vegetables from the dirty dozen with the clean fifteen when you can. Eating conventionally grown produce is much better than not eating fruits and vegetables and better than eating processed sugar and fat laden snacks and foods. Washing and/or peeling does not remove pesticides from a product.

While buying organic can be a cost issue, choosing more fruits and vegetables from the "clean fifteen" and buying those non-organic will help keep food costs down while avoiding most pesticides. If you compare prices, you may even find some organic fruits and vegetables that are similarly priced to the ones that are conventionally grown.

The EWG website has more information about choosing organic fruits and vegetables.