Does organic food really makes a difference in terms of health? It is still being debated but in reality, consumers choose organic foods because they want to lower their exposure to pesticides.
For that reason, I am going organic but it is a hassle just to drive the distance to get the produce. Driving equals pollution! Also with runaway inflation, it is taxing on the pocket. Ideally, grow organic myself. Hmmm, would need at least 2 more years I reckon before I can embark on this organic project.
Anyway, did some reading on the topic and found something interesting:
Some fruits and vegetables don't absorb pesticides, so save yourself some money by buying non-organic versions.
Therefore, it makes sense to know which conventionally grown foods are good enough because they are low in pesticide residue. Some examples are onions, mangoes, asparagus, broccoli and eggplant.
Focus your organic dollars where it counts - on foods that absorb lots of pesticides when grown conventionally, typically peaches, strawberries, capsicums, celery and lettuce.
Do you know that on a scale of 1 to 100, peaches rated a 100 pesticide load while apples rated 96. Onions and avocados rated 1 each.
Whatever your choice, organic or not, reduce your exposure to pesticides by rinsing fresh produce. Peeling helps but valuable nutrients may be lost. Best option is to eat a varied diet and choose organic when possible.
You can check out the list of 43 fruits and vegetables tested by the Environmental Working Group on its website, http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php.
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