The Dirty Dozen: How to Choose Organic Produce

Especially for those of us living in the north, it is can be difficult to find affordable, fresh produce this time of year. When eating healthy, it is always better to choose organic (watch this video on why organic is better), but that may not always be an option depending on your budget and what your local store has to offer.

The Environmental Working Group made a list of what has the highest and lowest amount of pesticides, use this guide when you are shopping. The EWG says you can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by buying the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables organic.


 

Total health is the optimal state of mental, physical, nutritional and chemical health. Buy organic as often as you can, especially with the dirty dozen listed above, to reduce your chemical stress.

I buy organic as much as possible and I wash all produce by spraying it with a mixture of white vinegar and water, then rinse. The government claims that a small amount of pesticides won’t hurt you, but there is research linking these chemicals to many health issues from cancer to ADD. The EWG says, "Pesticides are designed to kill things. Why wait for 20 years to discover they are bad for us?" I agree!