Never Eat These Fruits and Vegetables!

The Dirty Dozen

We see the organic produce in the grocery store and farmer’s markets, but is it really worth the higher price we have to pay?

Aren’t we just paying for expensive food?

Choosing organic foods is a wise decision not only because these foods are lower in harmful pesticides which can be neurotoxins, lead to cancer and other diseases, and mess up our hormones; but also because organic foods contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and not genetically modified.

A new report issued by the President’s Cancer Panel even recommends organic produce to lower the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Fruits and vegetables can sit in a field for up to six months during their growing phase so that anything that is sprayed on them will actually get soaked up into the roots.

You cannot wash off many of these pesticides and chemicals.

While it would be nice to purchase and eat everything organic, sometimes this can become an expensive venture. For those of us who must stick to a budget, avoiding the worst offenders is a better answer.

The “Dirty Dozen” list is put together every year by the Environmental Working Group shows the fruits and vegetables that are the most highly sprayed. The group analyzes data from the Department of Agriculture about pesticide residue and ranks foods based on how much or little pesticide residue they have.

When conventionally grown, the fruits and veggies on this list showed at least 47 different chemicals, with some having 67 or more.

Do you want to eat poison? No thanks.

Researchers say eating certain types of organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins we consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent.

So next time you go grocery shopping, avoid these conventionally raised fruits or vegetables at all costs:

Apples
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported Grapes
Lettuce and Spinach
Kale and Collard Greens    

However, the following list are vegetables and fruit that are relatively safe if even you purchase the conventionally grown, non-organic type.

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Onions

Buying locally grown produce also helps to cut back on pesticides, plus you get fresher fruits and vegetables.

And buying local and in season is your best bet for the safest, freshest, and best tasting produce, and the least expensive option.

Till next time, Stay Healthy and Lean!

 

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.  

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.