Are you trying to eat healthier this year? I am. Are you trying to exercise more? Not only am I trying to exercise more, but I am really trying to change my lifestyle when it comes to eating GREAT and working out! Even though eating GREAT is a lifestyle change – most times it can also be a change to your wallet! Eating healthy is EXPENSIVE! That’s why I coupon (but that is a blog for another day!). Even though it might be expensive, you have to look at the positive side of things – in the long run, you will be a healthier person, feeling great and looking even better! With that being said, I was reading another blog (http://www.curlynikki.com/) and came across the article FOODS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BUY ORGANIC. It caught my eye because there was another list about FOOD YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY ORGANIC. If you are a health conscious shopper, you already know just the title “Organic” comes with a 50% mark-up! (I am exaggerating!) So, if I can save some money but still treat my body well in the meantime, I want to know how! The following data was taken from the website http://www.drweil.com/. Here is another link to the EWG shopper’s Guide too! http://www.ewg.org/ This website gives you an environmental look at the foods we eat! Nearly all of the data used took into account how people typically wash and prepare produce – for example, apples were washed and bananas peeled before testing. The following “Dirty Dozen” had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy organic versions – or to grow them organically yourself:
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines (imported)
- Grapes (imported)
- Sweet bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries (domestic)
- Lettuce
- Kale/collard greens
Now for the FOODS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY ORGANIC:
Nearly all of the data used took into account how people typically wash and prepare produce – for example, apples were washed and bananas peeled before testing. Of the fruit and vegetable categories tested, the following “Clean 15” foods had the lowest pesticide load, and consequently are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume from the standpoint of pesticide contamination:
- Onions
- Sweet corn
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Sweet peas
- Mangoes
- Eggplant
- Cantaloupe (domestic)
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Sweet potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Mushrooms
Why should you care about pesticides? The EWG points out that there is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during vulnerable periods such as fetal development and childhood. Also keep in mind that maintaining your family’s health is not the only reason to choose organic food. Pesticide and herbicide use contaminates groundwater, ruins soil structures and promotes erosion, and may be a contributor to “colony collapse disorder,” the sudden and mysterious die-off of pollinating honeybees that threatens the American food supply. Buying or growing organic food is good for the health of the planet. This information was taken from http://www.drweil.com/
