Low on Cash? These Organic Foods Are Still a Must
While a few fruits and vegetables do not need to be purchased from the organic aisle, other foods like sweet bell peppers, apples, grapes, cherries and plums are worth the extra cash. Photo: Flickr/DeusXFlorida
Scenario: You only have $50 for groceries this week, and buying all organic is just not an option. So, which organic foods do you splurge on?
In the vague and oftentimes confusing world of organic food, it appears that some fruits and vegetables are “more organic” than others.
The banana is a primary example of this. The thick skin of the banana serves as a protective shield against pesticides, so the pulp is healthy enough to consume on its own.
The same philosophy applies to the avocado, another fruit with a thick skin, that builds up pesticides on the outside while the actual fruit remains intact and generally pesticide-free.
Other fruits, ranging from kiwis to papayas to pineapples, can be safely bought and consumed non-organic largely because of their thick skin.
In the category of vegetables, not all foods are alike in their level of pesticide treatment. For instance, broccoli is not generally treated with pesticides, though consumers still have the option of buying organic at the grocery store. The same applies to cabbage, onions and asparagus.
While some fruits and vegetables do not need to be purchased from the organic aisle, other foods like sweet bell peppers, apples, grapes, cherries and plums are worth the extra amount of money.
Whereas bananas and avocados are protected from pesticides due to their protective layer of skin, fruits such as raspberries and nectarines have little defense against pesticides and are more prone to contain a fair level of chemical residue.
According to Food News, peaches are the worst offenders, containing the highest level of pesticides out of any other common fruit or vegetable. They are followed by apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce and imported grapes.
“Peaches had the most pesticides overall, with some combination of up to 53 pesticides found on the samples tested, followed by apples with 50 pesticides and strawberries with 38,” according to the Web site.
Read more
White House to Expand Its Organic Garden
How Organic is Organic Food?
Cheat Sheet: Organic
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
Debbie at Living A Greener Life
posted on April 9th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Great list. I always buy organic apples but haven’t been too concerned about bananas. I’m surprised not to see potatoes on the list. I recently read that non-organic potatoes are one of the worst vegetables you can eat because so many chemicals are absorbed into the flesh and won’t wash off.
Chris
posted on April 9th, 2010 at 11:39 am
I was at a “regular” grocery store the other day and they had two types of onions-organic and convenional. When I looked at where they came from, both were from the same exact farm. Can the same farm grow both ways???
Erin
posted on April 9th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Thanks for the list! I think it’s also important to note the country of origin when buying – US has strict standards for allowable pesticides, but if your produce is coming from Central/South America or overseas, they have not been regulated as well. I hate to say it, but even a thick-skinned banana is sometimes still sprayed with DDT in Central American countries, which may not make it into the fruit itself, but onto our skin and into our kitchens.
Deanna
posted on April 10th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Please take a look at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/332797/the_10_most_contaminated_foods.html?cat=7
Also consider genetically modified foods. Go to http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php
Growing what food we can, buying locally, exchanging with our neighbors, saving seeds are all things we can do to change this scenario. This can be done inexpensively and in very small spaces – in a sunny window, on your porch, deck, or patio.
Thank you for the thoughtful article.
Deanna
Kat
posted on April 14th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
To Chris’ question, I believe the answer is yes, the same farm can grow conventional and certified “organic” produce. That’s the reality of factory farming and just one example of why “organic” is not the greatest label if you also value local produce that is grown by family farmers that follow sustainable farming practices.
Linda A.
posted on April 20th, 2010 at 6:21 am
I can’t afford NON-organic fruits and veggies, never mind the organic ones, and growing my own isn’t an option for me as I have neither the energy or the inclination to do so. Besides, I can’t cook, anyway. I’m a baker, NOTa cook. For whatever reason, the idea of cooking anything but the very simplest things, such as a casserole, causes me to freeze up.
Kathleen W.
posted on May 6th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
The writer give good points about pesticide residue, but doesnt consider the factor of chemical fertilizers versus organic compost to grow organic produce. Purists believe there is a nutritional difference.