The Dirty Dozen & The Clean Fifteen

We live in a society where a lot of emphasis is placed on going green, eating organic, and buying products whose labels claim that they are all-natural. However, we also live in a society with an unemployment rate that refuses to go down, and where many people struggle to make ends meet. Therefore, it is important to realize where you should make the splurge on the pricier organic products, and where you can save your money and opt out of organic. You can find an organic version of just about every product on the market, but allow me to let you in on a little secret....for some products, there is no real difference for the consumer whether they buy the organic version or not. Yes, it is important to realize that organic farming is better for the Earth and the farmers, but in times where finances can be of great concern, it is important to shop wisely as well.

Cue the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen!

The Dirty Dozen is a list of twelve foods that you should choose to buy organic. The reason behind this is that these produce items tend to have the highest pesticide residue when farmed in non-organic conditions. These 12 items are the ones that you want to splurge on....go organic here, it will be better for you and your loved ones.

Here is the list:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Nectarines

7. Grapes

8. Sweet bell peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Tie between Kale and Collard Greens

Another item that you might want to consider buying organic is meat that has a high fat content. While beef doesn't have pesticide, pesticides have been detected on the fat in the meat. Another option is to choose leaner cuts where you don't need to buy organic. Milk is another product that the experts suggest you buy organic. Testing has shown that there is pesticide in the cow's milk. There weren't a lot of explanations for how it got there, but if the cows are eating food with pesticides on them, it is likely that one way the body excretes them is through the milk. Since milk is a staple for children, it is definitely a product that you may want to consider buying organic since it is consumed in such abundance. (Interesting note - pesticides have even been found in human breast milk - if it was found there you better believe it will be found in cow's milk, too!) Three other interesting suggestions I came across in my research are to buy organic coffee, wine and chocolate. The majority of coffee beans and cocoa beans are grown in countries without strict laws on the use of pesticides - if you have an option, play it safe here. Also, when we see that grapes and raisins test positive for pesticides - makes you wonder about wine, eh?

Now, remember how I said up above that you don't have to buy all organic? Enter the Clean Fifteen.... 15 items where it is okay to skip the organic label and the increased price...

1. Onions

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapple

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet peas

7. Mango

8. Eggplant

9. Cantaloupe

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet Potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

There are several different lists available, and I have also seen broccoli, papaya and bananas end up on the clean fifteen.

My mom and I tried to correlate if there was an obvious difference that would help us while shopping so that we could do so without a list. At first it seemed that items that should be bought in organic form had softer skins and were therefore more permeable to the pesticides. For the most part this was true, but things like asparagus and sweet peas don't necessarily correlate by being on the clean fifteen. Also, potatoes are on one list and sweet potatoes are on the other, so I'm not quite sure that there is a simple method. However, you can print off this list, fold it up and keep it tucked inside your wallet. Therefore, it's out of the way and on-hand when you need it the most!

Wishing you happy, healthy, and smart shopping!

Mary