As most of you already know I am on a constant quest to healthy up our lifestyle and limit the amount of toxic pesticides that I am feeding Bradyn. But it is difficult. I go to the grocery store and am overwhelmed by all of the options. The expensive options. And I find myself wondering about buying organic. “Am I a bad mom if I don’t buy organic? What if buying organic everything means that I can’t afford some of the other things that are good for him but cost money? Piano lessons are good for him, Karate is good for him…” Whats a single mom to do?

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) along with the USDA and USFDA, recent studies have proven that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. (arrrrrrrghhhhh – I’m freaking out again…) BUT certain types of organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins you consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent. (Freaking out a little less….)

The EWG put together two lists, “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Clean 15,” to help us determine when we should buy organic and when it is unnecessary. These lists were compiled using data from the United States Department of Agriculture on the amount of pesticide residue found in non-organic fruits and vegetables after they had been washed.

The fruits and vegetables on “The Dirty Dozen” list, when conventionally grown, tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, some of them tested positive for as many as 67. For produce on the “dirty” list, you should definitely go organic — unless “chemical cocktail” is what you wanted to cook for dinner…. “The Dirty Dozen” list includes:

• celery
• peaches
• strawberries
• apples
• domestic blueberries
• nectarines
• sweet bell peppers
• spinach, kale and collard greens
• cherries
• potatoes
• imported grapes
• lettuce

All the produce on “The Clean 15” bore little to no traces of pesticides, and is safe to consume in non-organic form. This list includes:

• onions
• avocados
• sweet corn
• pineapples
• mango
• sweet peas
• asparagus
• kiwi fruit
• cabbage
• eggplant
• cantaloupe
• watermelon
• grapefruit
• sweet potatoes
• sweet onions

Now that I have these lists I just take them grocery shopping with me. Takes some of the stress off of trying to figure out what to buy. If you are buying organic, make sure that they are labeled as USDA Organic to ensure their quality and authenticity. Since organic produce has no chemical pesticides on them it’s not necessary to peel the skin (plus you want the added benefit of the valuable nutrients that live there) but you should give them a good wash in the sink, think about all the hands that were on them prior to making it to your kitchen.

Remember, the lists of dirty and clean produce were compiled after the USDA washed the produce using high-power pressure water systems that many of us could only dream of having in our kitchens.

The full list contains 49 types of produce, rated on a scale of least to most pesticide residue. You can check out the full list from on the Environmental Working Group’s website at www.foodnews.org.

Happy shopping.

Category: Lovin Life