When Should You Buy Organic?
Making the right food choices is not just about whether to pick a fruit over a donut, but also making sure that you know where and how your food is being grown. It is important to source the highest-quality foods, preferably organic produce from your local farmers.
If you need to be selective about buying organic because of higher prices, choose the foods on the Dirty Dozen list. You will benefit more from purchasing those fruits and vegetables grown organically.
With foods on the Clean Fifteen list, you can get away with buying non-organic because they tend to be less contaminated.
The Dirty Dozen
According to the US Department of Agriculture, the Dirty Dozen are vegetables and fruits that have the highest levels of pesticides. As much as possible, only buy organic:
Apples
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Kale
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries
Tomatoes
The Clean Fifteen
The Clean Fifteen are foods that are less likely to have pesticides, so do not worry too much if you can’t find organic:
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cantaloupes
Cauliflower
Eggplant
Honeydew
Kiwis
Mushrooms
Onions
Papayas
Pineapples
Sweet corn
Sweet peas
