If you are someone that likes to buy organic produce whenever possible but find yourself wondering if buying organic foods is worth spending extra money, we have some tips for you that might just help.
While we all like to think that we’re eating healthier by eating fresh fruits and vegetables, the unfortunate truth is that not all fruits and vegetables are equal! Some naturally absorb more of the chemicals (fertilizer and pesticides) that may be used on the farm, while others don’t. Also unfortunately, some of the most popular fruits, such as strawberries and apples are among the most likely to contain chemical residues. So in certain cases, buying organic foods can definitely be the smart choice. But which times? Read on!
How to Determine if Buying Organic Foods is Worth It
There is a great little guide that you can use to help you make that spending decision more wisely. It’s produced each year by the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit group that does annual testing on conventionally (non organic) grown fruits and veggies to determine the amount of pesticide residue remaining after washing. They use this testing to produce what they call the “The Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean 15” lists of the most contaminated and least contaminated fruits and veggies. I have not found the list changes that much from year to year and I pretty much know it by heart.
If you do buy organic produce, this guide can really help you save money! Since using this list, I do not bother spending the extra for those items on the Clean 15 list. However, for items on the Dirty Dozen list, I always try to get it organic and if its out of season, I will see if there is a frozen option available. Of course, as clearly stated in the summary on this site, eating more fruits and veggies is always a good thing, organic or not.
Click here to be brought to the site where you can download a handy little shoppers guide you can put in your wallet or purse to have on hand when you are shopping. Hope you find this useful!
Interested in eating more healthy meals on a regular basis? Learn more about The Dinner Daily.
