Which Produce To Buy Organic?

There are any number of reasons why someone may choose to consume organic foods.  While there is some doubt as to the true nutritional benefits of eating organic foods, another possible reason jumping onto the organic bandwagon is pesticides.  The rationale being that a reduction in the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers translates into a lower intake of those materials.

Which Produce To Buy Organic?

The Environmental Working Group assembled a series of studies on the levels of contaminants in a wide variety of produce.  Their work was done assuming people both wash and peel produce prior to consumption.  What they’ve found is that people who consume the worst offenders eat an average of 10 pesticides per day.

Peaches & Nectarines

Peaches and nectarines are both good sources of lycopene and lutein, as well as vitamins A and C.  They are also among the worst rated conventionally grown produce.  If you aren’t going to buy organic, try a tomato as a less contaminated alternative.  Tomatoes ranked as one of the cleanest fruits available by conventional growing methods.

Apples

Generally speaking, apples are a good source of fiber (pectin), potassium, and vitamin C.  Apples are also suspected of having a protective effect against asthma.  Unfortunately, they come in as the second worst produce in terms of pesticide concentration.  A cleaner conventionally grown alternative to apples is the kiwi fruit.  Kiwi ranked as the 8th cleanest conventionally grown fruit and are high in fiber, vitamins C, A, and E.  As an added bonus, they’re high in many trace elements and have the same protective benefits against respiratory ailments.

Bell Peppers

High in phytochemicals, capsaicin, beta carotene, thiamine and vitamin B6, bell peppers are one of my personal favorites.  Beta carotene has been shown to have protective effects against cataracts, as well as reducing the risk of heart attack and blood clots.  Potential alternative sources include chili peppers, and spirulina beta carotene.

Celery

Celery isn’t a common part of my diet, but it does rank high in both sodium and potassium, as well as folic acid and vitamins B1 and B6.  Bananas, sunflower seeds, and avocados offer excellent alternative sources of these nutrients.  Avocados ranked among the cleanest conventionally grown produce.

Strawberries

This one was particularly disappointing to me, as my youngest son tends to eat these like I drink water.  Aside from the common benefits associated with strawberries (vitamins C and K), they are also an excellent source of biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B1, as well as some flavonoids.  Some potential alternative include asparagus (vitamin K), wheat bran (biotin), and all other berries.

Well, there’s your list of the top produce to buy organic, as well as some conventionally grown alternative sources of the same nutrients, vitamins and minerals.  One thing I’m not clear on is whether frozen fruits suffer from the same level of contaminants as the fresh counterparts.  I need to look into this, but it stands to reason that they would.  We may need to take a look at incorporating some of the cleaner alternatives into our diets, or perhaps switching to the organic produce.  A recent article on saving on grocery bill suggests families may be able to save money each year by judiciously selecting which fruits and vegetables to buy organic.  Its certainly something to think about.

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2. Celebrate Green Produce At Farmers Market
3. The Movement Toward Fresh Raw Vegetables
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5. Smart Choice Food Labels — Why?