"Too expensive" is the most often mentioned reason why people choose not to buy organic produce.
Organic farmers don't benefit from the economies of scale that conventional farms have and, as a result. their products are more costly to produce. As more people switch to organic products we should see these prices start to come down.
In the meantime, you can still gain some benefits of an organic food diet by being selective in the items you buy. Introducing a few key organic fruits and vegetables into your diet will lower your overall exposure to pesticides and keep your grocery budget under control.
The
Environmental Working Group has measured the pesticide levels in 47 different fruits and vegetables and rated them from worst to best. They labeled the twelve worst
The Dirty Dozen and the ones with the least pesticide contamination as
The Clean 15.
To get the greatest bang for your buck when shopping for organic produce, start by choosing items from the dirty dozen list.
To see the complete list of produce items ranked from worst to best visit the
Shopper's Guide To Pesticides page.
You can download a handy pocket guide which features
The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15 list.
The Environmental Working Group site also has a short article summarizing the key health issues surrounding pesticide use and
How To Reduce Pesticide Exposure.
Organic food is gaining in popularity with the average consumer. It used to be that you had to visit a health food store or farmer's market to get organic food. Now, most large supermarkets have dedicated organic products sections in their stores.
The Environmental Defense Fund has taken an extensive look at the eco-problems that are affecting the seafood industry and have come up with some practical guidelines for people who enjoy eating fish, seafood and sushi.
