The Dirty Dozen: When To Buy Organic

November 18, 2009

Being a single mom with a pretty short budget I often find it difficult to buy organic. I know with the up coming holiday's we would all love to save some money. I am going to share with you the 12 most contaminated foods that you should buy organic, and the 12 cleanest that you can stick to when on the strictest of budgets!

The top 12 most contaminated foods are as follows;

*) Meat, in general meat tends to have the highest pesticide amount out there. However stay tuned if you can't afford it because I'll give you some better options later…

*) Milk, meat and milk go hand in hand, hormones given to cows can severely affect people. Causing problems such as an early menstrual cycle.

*) Coffee beans. We all drink it, and coffee gets a bad rep. Coffee beans actually contain a good amount of protein and antioxidants. You can always get the benefits with decaf as well, for us nursing moms. Organic coffee just taste better.

Most contaminated Fruits/Vegetables

1.) Peaches tend to contain an immense amount of pesticides, used to kill many pests. Fruits typically have a much higher amount of pesticides because of its ability to attract fruit flies and such.

2.) Apples, these are most baby's first food, its sad how filled they are with pesticides.

3.) Sweet Bell Peppers, they have a very thin skin that is very easily penetrable.

4.) Celery has no skin whatsoever so any pesticides sprayed will stick.

5.) Nectarines. These have been found to contain about 26 different forms of pesticides.

6.) Strawberries, tend to be flown in from around the country. Pesticides and preservative sprays help keep them from molding.

7.) Cherries, these berries have some of the highest rating pesticide use compared to other berries.

8.) Kale.

9.) Leafy Greens. Pregnant women are always told to eat their leafy green due to the high amount of folic acid, try to buy organic whenever possible.

10.) Grapes.

11.) Carrots. Have very dangerous pesticide use, some of these pesticides have already been banned from around the world.

12.) Pears, again with the fruit!!!

*** Potatoes, were recently moved from the dirty dozen but are still pretty close so try to whenever possible.

It's sad to think how many foods we should avoid eating inorganic but I promise there are many options for those who can't afford to buy organic. A way to save money when wanting to buy organic is to buy canned or frozen. Many places including Ralph's and Albertson's offer these options. If you absolutely cannot, at least consider doing it for your child's first 5 years as these are the most crucial times in brain development. Earth's Best is a company sold in most stores that offers an all organic baby food line, including meats. Listed below are 12 foods you do not have to buy organic.

12 Safest foods.

1.) Onions, mmmm French Onion Soup. Soooo good.

2.) Avocados; have a thick outer lining that protects them from most pesticides.

3.) Corn, a sweet healthy alternative to some fruits.

4.) Pineapple, again a very thick outer layer.

5.) Mango, now here is a very sweet fruit that is actually very safe. This can be used to make a sweet mango salsa to add to a chicken dish.

6.) Asparagus.

7.) Green Peas.

8.) Kiwi

9.) Cabbage

10.) Eggplant

11.) Papaya

12.) Watermelon

Here are some other safe alternatives: Tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Whenever you buy any fruits or vegetables you should wash the outside with a mild dish soap to remove any remaining dirt or chemicals. A good alternative to organic meat is organic tofu or protein alternative. A diet that consists of 25% alternative protein greatly reduces your families chances of heart disease. A cup of beans a day also greatly reduces your chances at diabetes.

Feel free to email me, if you have any questions or want some advice! Truthbetold004@gmail.com

Stop by my blog Truth Be Told, for my upcoming blog event, "Tis The Season To Be Green"

The Dirty Dozen: When To Buy Organic appeared first on Mom4Life Blog.


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