Natural Health Advisory

I try to buy organic when I can, but sometimes it can be difficult to find all the produce I am looking for in the organic sections at my local grocery stores. And when I do find what I am looking for, it sometimes comes with a price tag that makes me cringe when I compare it to the non-organic option.
Do you have a limited organic selection near you or have trouble affording organic produce? If that’s the case, you can save money and be healthier by focusing on the 12 most important foods to buy organic. Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes a handy shopping guide to help you easily answer that question and prioritize your shopping list. Their list of the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen foods will help you steer clear of those foods laden with the most pesticides and eat the cleanest diet you can.

Improve your health today with our FREE report Natural Health 101: Living a Healthy Lifestyle. You’ll get our healthy food list, exercise plan, tips to overcome vitamin deficiency symptoms, and much more!

Why choose organic?
Although organically grown foods don’t necessarily have higher nutrient levels, the more important factor is that they don’t contain a lot of harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and more. Research shows that organically grown crops do have significantly lower pesticide residues, as well as lower levels of toxins like cadmium, and choosing organic can lower your exposure to these contaminants.[1,2]
Pesticides in particular pose a significant threat to human health. They may be linked to endocrine disorders, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.[3-5] They could also be particularly be dangerous for children, as they may negatively impact development and could contribute to conditions like autism.
The Dirty Dozen
For 2015, the  foods with the highest amounts of pesticides (the Dirty Dozen foods) include:

• Apples
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Celery
• Spinach
• Sweet bell peppers
• Cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes
• Imported snap peas
• Potatoes

Some of these foods, like grapes and sweet bell peppers, contained 15 different types of pesticides in just one sample. Leafy greens and hot peppers also tended to have high levels of pesticide residues, and they are included on a Dirty Dozen Plus list.[6] About 99% of apple samples tested had pesticides, as did 98% of peaches, and 97% of nectarines.[6] Whenever possible, choose organic versions of these foods. Look for sales and comparison shop to find the best prices.
The Clean 15
The EWG also lists the 15 foods with the least amount of pesticides (the Clean Fifteen). If you’re on a budget, buy the non-organic versions of these foods.

• Avocados
• Sweet corn
• Pineapples
• Cabbage
• Frozen sweet peas
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Mangos
• Papayas
• Kiwis
• Eggplant
• Grapefruit
• Cantaloupe
• Cauliflower
• Sweet potatoes.[6]

For more information, read the full report from the EWG.
Share your experience
Do you try to eat organic to reduce pesticide exposure? Do you have tips for how to find the best local organic options and how to eat organic on a budget? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

---

[1] Br J Nutr. 2014 Sep 14;112(5):794-811.
[2] Ann Intern Med. 2012 Sep 4;157(5):348-66.
[3] Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Apr 8;11(4):3870-93.
[4] Neurology. 2013 May 28;80(22):2035-41.
[5] Curr Microbiol. 2013 Apr;66(4):350-8.
[6] Environmental Working Group. Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce. 2015.
The post The Dirty Dozen Foods List: The Most Important Foods to Buy Organic appeared first on Natural Health Advisory.


from Natural Health Advisory » Natural Health Advisory » Natural health research providing non-drug, natural healing approaches for today’s health challenges http://ift.tt/1EAFoT1