Going Organic

People assume that just because I eat healthy means that I eat everything organic. Although, I do try to eat organic when possible, I don't always do so. Going organic can be pricey, but can be worth the money when it comes to your health and the health of the environment. When making the decision wether to buy organic or not I consider the list below.

Here is a list of the "dirty foods" that have the highest pesticide exposure. 

apples

celery

cherries

imported grapes

lettuce

nectarines

peaches

pears

potatoes

spinach

strawberries

sweet bell peppers

Also, when it comes to produce, the biggest practice I preach is to buy locally! Not all local farmers are considered certified organic. But ask if they follow organic guidelines. They have to grow organically for a certain amount of years to be considered certified.  Buying locally also means that the produce has grater amounts of nutrients. Having a lesser distance to travel means that there is a less time lapse from the tree to mouth meaning that fruit still holds a lot of it nutrients.  Fruit that comes from different countries are usually picked before it is ripe. Then after miles and miles of travel it is sprayed to induce the ripening process. Other countries have different guidelines then america and you don't know what chemicals they use on their produce. So, if a farmers market is not available to you look for produce that is grown in your state or in the surrounding states.