Food with the Most Pesticides

Foods with the most pesticides are referred to as "The Dirty Dozen" by those of us with alternative health and wellness backgrounds. They include a combination of both vegetables and fruit. Then we also have a name for the type of veggies and fruits that are referred to as the "Clean 15". Eating organic is a great solution to solving the "Dirty Dozen" issue for those that have to avoid pesticides for a variety of reasons. Ways to eat more organic will require you to have some fundamental knowledge of organic food.

To start, it will help you to know that the peels of fruit are abundant with many pesticides. Even if you peel and wash your produce you'll reduce the pesticide content, however you won't eliminate it completely. Not only that, the peels are a valuable source of nutrients, fiber being the biggest one mostly concentrated within the peel.

The Dirty Dozen

First, it will help you to be aware of some of the fruits and veggies with the greatest amount of residual pesticides. They include the following:

Peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears.

The Clean 15

The clean 15 consist of those fruits and veggies that have the least amount of pesticide residual in them. They include these:

Onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwis, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes.

Organic Farming

Those farmers that are certified as organic are forbidden to use any methods that are not approved by The National Organics Standards Program. This program is regulated by the government and is known for it's strict guidelines. Therefore herbicides, fertilizers, and fungicides are forbidden.

Where to Buy Organic

Find the grocers and retailers in your community that are more locally focused on where they get the organic produce they carry. If the produce is local, it's not enduring a lot of trucking time that ages the food before it even hits the shelves.

Local organic food can usually be purchased at your community farmer's market. Be sure to ask if their food is USDA certified organic. It's easy to get tripped up by claims made by a farmer that says that he "farms sustainably", or they may say something like they "go beyond organic." Insist on their credentials and if you're serious about organic, look for the USDA certified organic claim.

Source: Brochure from Outpost Natural Foods, Milwaukee, Wi