Admittedly, I am little bit of a "foodie." I am not sure if it is the influence of The Food Network, my use of baking as a form of stress relief, or just the strong pull of genetic influence (my mom loves to cook/bake, and so did her mom!). At any rate, I love and am interested in all things related to food. Over the past couple of years I have been making a concerted effort to buy more and more things organic. I was talking to my sister the other day about organic products and decided to do a little research today. I found this list of 12 produce items that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found to contain the highest levels of pesticides. So, if you don't buy anything else organic, or want to start slowly (as organic items tend to be more expensive); this list is a good place to start:
Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Imported grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
*And remember, these pesticides leech into these fruits and veggies and can't be removed by washing or peeling!!
Other random tips:
- The USDA regulates the term "organic" and products with this label must meet certain guidelines (no pesticides, no fertilizers, no growth hormones, no antibiotics, etc.)
- Organic food producers must be certified by government inspectors
- The USDA does NOT regulate products that claim to be "natural" or "all natural" so you cannot be assured these products meet "organic" regulations
Depending on where you live, and what grocery stores you have access to, it can be difficult to find organic products. However, even here in the midwest most grocery stores have even a small section of organic products. Just remember to look for that green and white USDA Organic seal, and Happy Shopping!!
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