2013 Organic Dirty Dozen

Often times, the price of organic fruits and vegetables are more than the average consumers pockets can afford. When I first started my healthy lifestyle, I was spending $100 A WEEK on organic foods, and I was eating about 80-90% raw fruits and vegetables at that time.  After a million Whole Foods trips, I realized the lies we were being sold.

Majority of produce sold in markets are not organic. Yes, understood? But, majority of the items at Whole Foods (and markets like it) are NOT organic as well, and it took me a little while to realize that i did not need to spend my every dime eating and shopping there. There are healthy alternatives every where we look, and many foods are grown naturally in low pesticide areas, making them as safe to eat as ones labeled organic. One thing that really helped me stay on track, and save a bucket load of money, was the Organic Dirty Dozen list by The Environmental Working Group. It outlines which fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide residues. Fruits and vegetables with high pesticide residues should always be purchased organic, especially if they are going to be eaten raw.

Although not every fruit and vegetable must be purchased organic, there are definitely some advantages to eating organically. Organic foods have been allowed to ripen before being picked; unlike conventional foods that are picked unripe so that they last during transport. Also, organic fruits and vegetables also taste much better than conventional ones because of this fact.

Below are the 2013 Organic Dirty /Clean Dozen Guides

12 Most Contaminated (Dirty)

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

 

12 Least Contaminated (Clean)

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya