12 Foods to Buy Organic
The 'dirty dozen' is a list of the most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables in produce departments. When thinking about buying organic food, these are the first ones to put on your shopping list.
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
To guide people shopping for produce, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a new list of “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables each year. Simply put, these are the fruits and vegetables that have the most pesticide contamination based on the EWG’s analysis of more than 89,000 laboratory tests. Considering this, they are also the foods that you might want to put on your organic shopping list.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Celery
This veggie is not the richest in vitamins and minerals, but it still has value as a low-calorie, high-water content snack that fills you up without bulking you up. Carla Fynan, RD, a nutritionist at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., recommends adding peanut butter for a bit of protein and healthy monounsaturated fat. Rinsing and scrubbing celery may help somewhat, but celery’s thin skin lets pesticides penetrate all the way through, so you’re really better off choosing celery from the organic fruits and vegetables section of your grocer. Non-organic alternatives include broccoli, radishes, and onions.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Peaches
This sweet, delicious fruit is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. It also has a laxative and cleansing effect on the bowels and is easy for the elderly to digest, says Marvin Kunikiyo, DC, author of the natural health book,Revolutionizing Your Health. You can peel peaches to rid them of some pesticides, but that does away with valuable nutrients, and the skin is so thin that many pesticides penetrate the fruit anyway. Therefore, organic food is really the best choice for this member of the dirty dozen. Non-organic alternatives: watermelon, oranges, grapefruit.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Strawberries
With their rich color and delicious flavor, strawberries are positively teeming with antioxidants, including vitamins A and C. Fynan says they are also low in calories and great with any number of dishes (salads and cereals) or on their own. You can’t peel a strawberry and rinsing doesn’t do much, so spending a few dollars for the organic food version is a good idea. Non-organic alternatives: kiwi, pineapples.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Apples
You might think that peeling an apple would be the best way to rid it of pesticides, but that peel is a treasure trove of valuable nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and an antioxidant called quercetin. Instead, rinse and scrub the apple thoroughly or buy organic food to ensure avoiding contaminants from this member of the dirty dozen. Non-organic alternatives: bananas, tangerines.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Blueberries
These tiny berries are antioxidant powerhouses, with a higher antioxidant level than any other fruit or vegetable according to studies. Unfortunately, up to 13 different pesticides have been detected on a single sample of non-organic blueberries, says Amy Hess-Fischl, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator on staff at the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. Choose organic blueberries even if you’re on a limited budget when you buy organic food. Non-organic alternative: raspberries.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Nectarines
These fruits look and taste a lot like peaches, so it’s not surprising they have some of the same health benefits — low in calories and high in vitamins A and C. Nectarines also have some of the same pesticide problems — 95.1 percent of samples tested positive for pesticides. Rinse or scrub them as much as possible or buy organic food when you can. Non-organic alternatives: papaya, mango.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Bell Peppers
The bright, bold colors of these vegetables, particularly the red ones, are a sure sign that they are brimming with antioxidants, most notably vitamin C. Since you wouldn’t normally peel a pepper, rinse or scrub it as much as possible if you can’t buy the organic version. Cooking also can sometimes reduce pesticide levels, though it also reduces the nutrients you derive from it. Non-organic alternatives: green peas, cabbage.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Spinach
Spinach is a low-calorie, delicious choice in salads, and that bold green color is an indicator of its rich content of nutrients such as vitamins A and C, calcium, folate, and fiber. Rinsing and drying the spinach before use helps some, but here again, organic food is the best way to ensure low pesticide exposure when it comes to this member of the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables. Non-organic alternatives: cabbage, broccoli.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Cherries
Cherries have a whole laundry list of helpful nutrients, says Fynan, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, magnesium, and fiber. They also have roughly 42 pesticides on them, according to government testing. A safer bet may be imported cherries, as they have three times less pestidue residue than cherries grown in the United States. Non-organic alternatives: cranberries, raspberries.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Kale and Collard Greens
Most of what was said about spinach, both in terms of nutrients and pesticide levels, also holds true for the dynamic duo of kale and collard greens. But unlike spinach, kale and collard grees are most often cooked, and that does help with some of the pesticide levels — of course cooking also reduces the nutrient levels of these leafy greens. Your best bet is to buy organic food to get the most nutrients without pesticides. Non-organic alternatives: asparagus, cabbage.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Potatoes
There are many varieties of potatoes to choose from and many ways to serve them up. People often peel potatoes, which does help reduce the pesticide levels of this root vegetable member of the dirty dozen. The only problem is, that the potato skins are where most of the nutrients of the potato come from. “Make sure you eat the skin for the greatest benefit,” says Fynan. “It’s high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.” Non-organic alternatives: eggplant, mushrooms.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
Imported Grapes
In addition to vitamins A and C, red and Concord grapes have a compound in the skin called resveratrol, which seems to provide specific heart-healthy benefits. Since imported grapes were specifically singled out on the Environmental Working Group “dirty dozen” list, check on the origin of what you are buying and choose domestically grown grapes whenever possible. Non-organic alternatives: kiwi, raspberries.
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
The 'Dirty Dozen' Fruits and Vegetables
More on Diet and Nutrition
More Photo Galleries
Last Updated: 10/28/2010
No comments:
Post a Comment