Organic Produce For Our Kids
- May, 19 2010
- By jennifer
The topic of pesticide use in our food supply has once again made the headlines. Whether to choose organic or conventional food is a frequently debated choice. The issue does become clearer when we consider children. Their bodies are still developing and are small in overall body mass. Therefore, an apple treated with pesticides has greater impact on a child than it might on a 220 pound adult.
It’s worth posting The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides from The Environmental Working Group again at this point. It can be difficult to memorize the list of chemically “clean” and “dirty” produce without the list at hand. There’s even an “App” for that!
Dirty Dozen ~ buy these organic
- celery
- peaches
- strawberries
- apples
- blueberries
- nectarines
- bell peppers
- spinach
- kale
- cherries
- potatoes
- grapes (imported)
Clean 15 ~ lowest in pesticides
- onions
- avocado
- sweet corn
- pineapple
- mangoes
- sweet peas
- asparagus
- kiwi
- cabbage
- eggplant
- cantaloupe
- watermelon
- grapefruit
- sweet potato
- honeydew melon
adapted from EWG.org
There may be a concern about the higher cost of organics. Look for organic items on sale. Ask for more information at the farmer’s market. Some farmers may use organic farming methods but do not wish to pay the cost of becoming certified. Some use less pesticides than large conventional farms but are not 100% organic. This will help you to make the most informed choice to lower your dietary pesticide intake.
