Organic fruits and vegetables can be pricey compared to their conventionally-grown counterpart. It’s hard for me to pick up a $4 pint of organic strawberries when I see the $.99 sale ones that look even better. Is it really worth spending the extra money on organic? Yes…and no.
Dirty Dozen organic produce list
The EWG’s 2012 Dirty Dozen organic produce list helps me decide what is worth it. There are 14 items that are non-negotiable (and strawberries are on the list). And yes, I know a dozen is 12…but this year they added 2 more items that have large amounts of pesticide exposure, yet they still wanted to keep that catchy name.
This list is very helpful, but I must say there are still times when I don’t buy accordingly (I have a long way to go on my clean eating journey). I am still figuring out ways to add more organic produce into our kitchen without breaking the budget. I’ve had the best luck at Trader Joe’s and farmer’s markets. I know from friends that you can also get affordable organic produce through CSAs and organic produce co-ops.
Not only are organic produce free from chemical pesticides, but a Washington State University study found that organic strawberries have higher levels of antioxidants and Vitamin C than conventional strawberries. And why does this matter? Well, antioxidants help protect your body against cancer and fight signs of aging. Suddenly skipping the conventional strawberry sale and buying the more expensive organic ones doesn’t seem so hard.
Do you follow the Dirty Dozen list? What is your favorite way to buy organic produce?
what if we buy the fruit and vegetable wash? (from trader joe’s)
I love the fruit and veggie wash from TJ’s. That helps clean the outside of the fruit. But pesticides are absorbed into the leaves and skin of the fruits and veggies as well. By washing them, you are reducing the amount of pesticides you are ingesting, but not getting rid of them. So keep on washing them, but I still recommend sticking to the list as much as possible.