Foods You Need To Buy Organic

Spinach has spongy, porous leaves that, unfortunately, are excellent at soaking up pesticides. The EWG found that 97 percent of conventional spinach samples contained some, making organic a total no-brainer here.

Organic foods are usually good for the environment. But they're often hard on your wallet: The USDA found the costs of organic fruits and vegetables typically run more than 20% higher than conventional produce. Sometimes the difference is much higher, especially for things like organic milk and eggs. Are they worth the extra expense? In some cases, yes. It may lower your exposure to chemicals and artificial ingredients. In others, it may not be healthier than buying conventionally grown products. Some basic information can help you make the smartest choices for your budget and the health of your family.

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Organic foods continue to increase in popularity across the U. S. with many believing eating organic is better for health. About 5% of total food sales are organic, and that is projected to increase by an average of 6% each year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines organic as crops that are produced on farms that have not used most synthetic pesticides herbicides or fertilizer for three years before harvesting the food. There needs to be a significant buffer zone to decrease contamination from adjacent farm lands. Farms also have to be free from any genetic engineering, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge (yuck). And as it relates to livestock, animals must be fed organic feed, live on organic land and be raised without routine antibiotics or hormones.

Organic milk has the same protein, mineral, lipid and vitamin content as normal milk. Nonorganic milk typically has growth hormones, which are specific to each species. So, drinking milk with bovine growth hormone, which is degraded by stomach acid, has no physiological impact on humans.

One of the core pillars of health is eating the best quality food possible, whether that means choosing organic, local, pesticide-free, grass-fed, pasture-raised, wild-caught, or non-GMO. Realistically, though, most people have to choose non-organic (or otherwise conventional) food sometimes. The top-tier options may not be available year-round where you live. Even if they are, they might not fit your budget.

There is also very little, if any, advantage to organic onions from a health perspective. Unlike many other fruits and vegetables, conventionally grown onions have the same level of polyphenols as organically grown onions.8 So, feel free to go wild with conventional onions.

NOTE: A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from genetically modified seeds. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid genetically modified produce.

Based on the EWG survey, 99 percent of apples surveyed were found to contain at least one type of pesticide residue. Apples are the perfect food to keep you alert and focused throughout the work day, so buy the organic variety and keep them in your diet.

For parents, nothing is more important than the health of their children. Buying organic baby food helps limit an infant's exposure to pesticides and other food contaminants. Organic baby food can be expensive, so sometimes making healthy baby food at home is a better option.

This spring berry is one of the most sought-after superfoods, but conventional blueberries were found to contain up to 50 different pesticide residues. Use organic blueberries to make these four wonderful desserts that will help you lose weight.

The USDA Pesticide Data Program found 26 different pesticide residues on varying samples of carrots. This is especially troubling because carrots are often consumed raw and by children, who have a less developed immune system. Conventionally grown carrots contain 70 percent more linuron, a popular herbicide, than their organic counterparts.

Conventionally raised chickens aren't threatened by pesticide use, but they're exposed to many of the other horrors industrial agriculture. Organic chicken are spared from sub-therapeutic antibiotic use (which creates antibiotic resistant bacteria) and growth hormones, and they have to be fed organic feed.

Conventionally raised eggs face the same risks as the conventionally raised chickens. Organic eggs are free from agricultural chemical residues and come from chickens that are free to roam around and are fed an organic feed.

Whether they're baked, poached, or added to salad, pears are usually consumed skin and all, which can be a problem for a food that's covered in chemicals. A 2010 USDA pesticide report found that conventionally grown pears contained 40 percent more pyrimethanil (a broad spectrum fungicide) than those grown organically.

There are many reasons to buy organic: USDA organic certification covers all aspects of a farming operation, from seed sources (the USDA prohibits GMOs in organics, for example) and soil conditions to crop health and pest management. Economics plays a role: While GMO giants like Monsanto have a huge share of the seed market, there are smaller distributors that sell conventional non-GMO seeds, such as corn. For small-scale farmers, this is often more affordable than the GMO variety.

If you are looking specifically to avoid pesticide residue, there are several conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables that have little to none. In general, you are going to be safe from pesticide residue by purchasing non-organic versions of the following 18 fruits and vegetables:

Avocados are one of the safest fruits to buy non-organic because their thick outer skin prevents pesticides from touching the edible fruit. Also known as alligator pears, they are packed with essential nutrients such as folate, potassium and vitamins K, B-6, E and C. Along with olive oil and canola oil, avocados are also an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), a healthy type of fat that may help lower the risk of heart disease and improve the function of blood vessels. Some research shows that MUFAs help with insulin levels and blood sugar control, which is particularly important if you have type 2 diabetes. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends having a slice of avocado on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise or butter.

Non-organic cabbage is usually a safe bet because it contains little pesticide residue. Cabbage is cruciferous vegetable, which a Netherlands study found may protect against colon cancer in women. Purple cabbage contains anthocyanins, which researchers are investigating for potential anti-carcinogenic properties. Just one serving of cabbage contains more than 20 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamins C and K.

Pesticides are rarely used on kiwis, so you don't need to buy them organic. Higher in vitamin C per ounce than most other fruits, eating kiwis may promote healthy skin, reduce blood pressure and help prevent heart disease and stroke. They are a good source for fiber and antioxidants that support the immune system and reduce asthma symptoms.

EWG ranks papaya as one of the foods lowest in pesticide residue. You can get 80 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C in just half of a small papaya, along with significant amounts of beta-carotene, fiber, folate and potassium. Eating papaya aids digestion, improves blood glucose control in diabetics, lowers blood pressure and may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The thick skin of pineapples protects the edible fruit inside from pesticides, so it's perfectly fine to purchase the non-organic variety. Adults can get more than 100 percent of the recommended intake of vitamin C in just a single cup of fresh pineapple. It's also a great source of manganese, which is critical to human development, metabolism and the body's antioxidant system. Pineapple also contains bromelain, a mixture of enzymes that digest protein and reduce inflammation, especially in the nose and sinuses.

Because of a low pesticide residue, sweet corn makes EWG's list of foods that you can buy non-organic. It is one of the best sources of dietary fiber and has good levels of B vitamins and several minerals, including copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc. Corn is also an excellent source of ferulic acid, which may help preventing cancer and inflammation.

Choosing fresh, organic ingredients you'll not only lower the amounts of toxic pesticides in your body, but also halves your levels of bisphenol A and phthalates, both of which can alter your hormones.

Sustaining and helping organic farms grow also provides habitats for many more species than conventional agriculture. Among those animals that benefit are song birds, which thrive on insects found in organic fields.

While there are many reasons to buy organic foods not everyone can find fresh organic produce at their corner store, or afford the premium price tags, so it's important to remember that there are some smart shopping decisions we can make that will help us save money while also reducing the pesticides on our plates.

Other steps you can take to keep pesticides off your plate include always washing and peeling your produce, steam cooking leafy greens, and using the frozen organic version a try when the produce you want isn't available fresh. 781b155fdc