What Foods Should I Buy Organic? A List of Organic Foods
94Lovely Organic Veggies and Fruits
Organic vs. Non-Organic
What foods should you buy organic? It seems like the organic section of the grocery store is expanding, but are organics worth the price?
We have young children at home and I always error on the side of buying organic produce. We also get our veggies from an organic farm, see link below, so I rarely buy produce at the store. Once in a while I want an item not provided from our farm, the list below will help to decipher what to buy organically and not organically.
The Today Show came out with a list of the foods that you should buy organically, i.e., these foods are not as effected by pesticides, and a list of foods that it's not worth spending the extra money to buy organic. The group of foods that you should buy organically they call "The Dirty Dozen"; these foods still have pesticides even after they are washed.
Non-Organic Foods
These foods are safe to buy non-organic:
- Bananas
- Kiwi
- Mangoes
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Onions
- Peas
The Dirty Dozen
Buy These Foods Organic:
- Apples
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Spinach
A few more points...
- Organic foods many times go "off" faster than non-organic; so eat your organic veggies quickly. They also will have more bacteria after a week. This is because small, organic farmers are less efficient in getting their product to the market.
- Macrobiotically organic milk is no different than non-organic, it's just twice as expensive. I recently asked my daughter's doctor about organic foods and he recommended organic veggies but said that organic milk had no benefits. I do buy milk that does not treat their cows with rBST hormones. These are bovine growth hormones that are injected into lactating cows to produce more milk.
Try Out This Organic Farm
- Farm Fresh To You
If you live in the San Francisco area, you can have fresh, organic fruits and vegetables delivered to your door weekly. We have this service and love it!
Cecily's Hub on Organic Food From the Farm
- Food Fresh From the Farm
Check out Cecily's hub on why to buy organic veggies from your local farm.
Environmental Working Groups' Organic List
Here's a reliable sources review of what to buy organic. Of course, it would be optimal if we could buy everything organic, but with soaring produce and food prices this list can help you pick and choose the organic produce that you should buy.
- (worst: highest pesticide load) Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Lettuce
- Grapes-imported
- Pears
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Green Beans
- Hot Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Raspberries
- Plums
- Oranges
- Grapes-Domestic
- Cauliflower
- Tangerine
- Mushrooms
- Cantaloupe
- Lemon
- Honeydew Melon
- Grapefruit
- Winter Squash
- Tomatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Watermelon
- Blueberries
- Papaya
- Eggplant
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Bananas
- Kiwi
- Asparagus
- Sweet Peas-Frozen
- Mango
- Pineapples
- Sweet Corn-Frozen
- Avocado
- (best: lowest pesticide load) Onions
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Your article was awesome, and answered some of the questions I had on the dirty dozen. thanks! I personally would not give your children non-organic milk. I'm the daughter of an Organic dairy farmer and there is a huge difference in the milk. If you are worried about pesticides on your food I would be truly concerned about all the pesticides the cows consume, not to mention all the GMO corn they digest. In addition the accountability for farmers that sell rBST free milk is very, very limited, and not everyone is as honest as you would hope. Organic dairy cows milk is much higher in Omega 3's because of grazing requirements. I would highly, highly advice Organic milk!
Robin, I'm bookmarking this hub. I'm always confusing what to buy and what not to buy as it relates to produce. Thanks for the great information!
On dairy-- It is actually important to eat organic dairy because of the high animal fat content. When cows graze on grass/hay and eat feed contaminated with chemicals, those chemicals are stored in the animal's fat. The milk gets its fat from the cow (obviously) and the chemicals go right along with it. Dairy was one of the first products I switched to when I went organic because of this.
to the person that made the comment about the cucumbers ~ no you dont die immediately ~ cancer takes a long time to get to that point! !!!!
I think one should distinguish between "safer" and "more organic". The concepts are not necessarily the same.
Ever heard of anybody dying after eating conventionally produced fresh produce? No? Well, I know of at least a few who died recently in Germany after eating organic produced cucumbers...
This site helped me with my project.
Thanks :)
Great to eat locally and organically when you can. Everyone who is interested enough to but organic should try growing perennial crops (those that live for years) and taste the difference. If you have a sunny 2' x 4', 6' , 8', or large planter that can be WATERED frequently, try asparagus, blueberry plants, Kafir lime trees, Jerusalem artichokes, grape vines, black berry or raspberry plants. All take water and some organic fertilizer (local Ag Extensions have free info and low cost soil analysis), but will produce w/o pesticides. This is coming from SW Georgia, bug capital of the USA. You will never regret have fresh blueberries from your own green space! Annuals that can be grown ina small space include strawberries, huge varieties of lettuces and greens ( they are SO easy!), radishes (try the winter variety that can grow as big as an orange and get sweeter w/ age) and even mini cabbages and radicchio. IF you have a 5' x 5' space consider a citrus tree(which are self pollinating) or choose a self pollinating apple tree that is mini (less than 10' tall). In less than 5 years fruit will be ready to eat and multiply each year. Organic can be a person's livestyle or it can be a list of regulations to bypass. Make it what is right for you. Don't trust someone else to label YOU.
Also, (and this has been the hardest for me) you should try your best to find organic cotton clothing. "...cotton uses only 2.4% of the world's agricultural acreage, its cultivation involves 25% of the world's pesticide use, more than any other crop." That quote came from this enlightening article on the toxic effects of conventional cotton: http://www.enn.com/health/commentary/32854
Please take the time to read. :-)
Blueberries MUST be organic.
Non organic vs organic story. I was at a dried plum plant a few years back talking with the plant manager. The assistant plant manager popped in and asked if it was ok to fumigate the plant for pests. The plant manager quickly asked, "Are all the organics outside?"...asst plant mgr "Yes"...plant mgr "Then go ahead and fumigate". So you can call me hysterical, but i prefer organic dried fruit.
While I'm in no hurry to shorten my life by eating any contaminated food product, I think a certain histeria is being spread with the word, "organic". Furthermore, to one degree or another, it would not surprise me to know that the word "organic" is partially a marketing tool. Buy organic!!! Live longer!!!! Once again, let me state again that I'm not interested in any product that has harmful pestisides...but it seems to me that everything in life is a calculated risk. Which is more dangerous? Driving your car on the freeway at 65mph or eating a non-organic banana? The only thing that may be more dangerous may be riding your banana at 65mph...But you willingly and knowingly take MAJOR risks with your LIFE everytime you get in your car, right? Organic vs. non-organic? I think eliminating bad habits, i.e., drinking, smoking, etc., and eating a well-balanced diet, and excercising more often may be MUCH more effective in stacking the odds in your favor rather than fretting over whether your avacado is organic or not. These comments were typed on a non-organic computer keyboard. I guess I should go wash my hands now. Some friends invited me over for dinner...including a fruit salad...oh,oh...Should I ask? Sheese.
Does anyone no what ingredients go into these pestisides ?
The U.S. is attempting to outlaw non-GMO labeling of foods, thereby making it illegal for a non-GMO food product to even claim "non-GMO" on the label. This would result in a global GMO cover-up as consumers are left in the dark about whether their foods are genetically modified or not.
Can I eat the skin of winter squash if it is not organic? (Kambucha squash from Mexico)
Great hub! I am really starting to see more and more organic food options on my local grocery store's shelves. I do hope that the prices start to come down on them however!
nice info but if we are looking for organic its not only fruits and vegeables wich are organic
Hi i like your Organic vs. Non-Organic article...
your share unique information in your here..i reads this tip first time there...
Thanks for the information, Glad to visit.
I am 19 and have for the past couple of years only ate organic food due to allergy's to chemicals, pesticids, e.t.c... Also anyone interested in this look for the film "Food Inc.". Its a really informative movie. I was wondering though, when the package say for chicken says "grain feed", and that it is organic, does this mean that the grains being feed to it are organic?
Thanks for the info!
Definately a must to buy Organic, Visit
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Truth-About-Your-Food
for latest info on organic Dairy you havent read before
This is twisting my mouth
Nice list. I'm all organic from now. This hub is quite inspiring.
No one has yet mentioned how/if you're cooking your carefully selected produce. Concerns about e-Coli from runoff and the like suggest cooking is not so bad. If juicing, add ginger, garlic or cayenne to your preservation as natural antibiotic. When cooking; consider that eater is a bleaching agent... Even rinsing shredded or chopped vegetables removes a shocking quantity of vitamins and minerals. Use ionized acid water to clean, or one drop of iodine per gallon. Don't forget chlorine (easily removed by aeration) and chloramines and pharmaceuticals (removes by filtration) in your water. Cook produce only by waterless method in surgical grade stainless to an internal temp of less than 187 degrees, preserving an amazing avg 87-90% of enzymes, vitamins and minerals - destroyed by heat and sunlight. Write me for more info at DYLifedesign - ldyetter@gmail.com
I'm a big fan of coconut water at the moment! My wife and I have also been using organic formula for our daughter.
I love your post, it was very informative, and I will check out the local farms and be more selective with my organic vs non-organic purchases.
President Obama has the opportunity to mandate that all farmers grow only organically which would spare the lives of the hundreds of thousands of men, women an children that die each year from cancer from consuming pesticide saturated fruits and vegetables, but he does absolutely nothing. Where is his heart?
This list is quite helpful in making decisions for choosing among different categories.Please provide these kind of details for non perishable items also.
You have some things on both ok to buy non-organic and buy organic lists: e.g. asparagus, avocado, broccoli. I'm confused!
I have read research that mushrooms hold on to less than 1% of pesticides.
Good Info!!!!
Corn is actually a fruit, vegetable and grain. So you are safe to refer to it as a vegetable. Nice hub.
Great work! Thank you for the lists, My wife and I have been buying at the SF farmers market for years and been bitterly disappointed when we looked into the fridge not long after to find spoiled produce. Although I have discovered the "green bags" that keep the produce fresh much longer by apparently allowing some of the gasses out seem to work pretty well. I did try F.F.T.Y. for awhile but they kept sending me the same vegetables in large amounts month after month, kale, chard and squash, which I like, don't get me wrong, but not in such excess. I might try them again in the spring. Anyway, nice hub. Thanks for the info. -Coach
i buy 100% organic
Corn is not a vegetable. It is a grain.
All comments so true. Especially those concerned with water pollution and GM Cross pollination. It is the farm hands and locals that suffer the most from pesticide use. And also the over use of local water resources that steal from the local people their born right to clean water. It's not just food we need to think about. It is cotton, Coffee, Tea these are 3 big users of fertilizer, pesticides and water. How were the hops and wheat treated for your afternoon Budweiser or the grapes of you so admired Californian wine, Or the beautiful beasts; Beef, Pork, Foul??? Think about what they put in yer food and what you put in you're belly as well as what that is cause and effect for those producing those items for our consumption...Are organics really to big of a price to pay? Should the government not support and subsidize organic and water reduction projects rather than wasting out money, Heritage, water and already perfect gifts from mother Earth. Grow yer own veggies, brew your own coffee from fair equity and equality traders and not the Nescafe's, Nestle's and Coca-Cola's of the world. Wake up and smell the Coffee. Have a raw greens shake in the morning and hemp heart pasta for lunch, give up meat the number one waister of water, forest and grazing lands, GMO soy beans and corn to fuel a nation; a world; mind warped by McD's and KFC...Eat and drink local!! Eat organic, wear organic and live as organic as possible. Tell Dupont, Shell, Mitsubishi, bla bla bla multinationals all around the world that this is not how we want to go down. Human rights come down to Organics. Love, Light and Understanding.
Dave
I'm with RGraf, grow your own. You can't beet this and it's so rewarding.
Thank you for the info. We are planning on growing our own in the summer and are looking forward to it.
Hi I too have bought about 90% organic in the last few years but what about almonds and walnuts I love them as snacks and I still but them un organic is this a mistake?
Organic food is eco friendly ,it is useful in reducing global warming.Slowly people have started using organic food.
Corn is a tricky veg. GM Corn as far as a few miles away will cross pollinate with so-called organic corn. Due to no fault whatsoever of the organic/other responsible farmer, their crop can become GM as well.
Your wrong about the corn, have you ever heard of GMO crops, aka genetically modified foods, those are probably the most dangurous.
renee - definitely buy organic oranges and lemons and grapefruit. non-organic oranges specifically are loaded not just with spray but with whatever chemical fertilizer are used in the soil.
I seen the "Dirty Dozen" list on the Discovery Health channel. Very interesting. But what about oranges and grapefruits? I know organic is always better, but is it ok to buy non-organic?
Any type of root vegtable should be bought Organic because they incorporate the pesticides directly into the soil, and the soil is very contaminated from years and years of pesticide use. The pesticides just soak into the ground and literally "grow" into the plant. Therefore you don't have a plant that is just sprayed with the pesticides, it is within the plant. This is not avoidable once the soil is contaminated.
You are on the right track Robin in choosing organic, but please consider that most all non-organically grown foods...probably 90 % these days are irradiated, which can deplete 50 to 80 % of the nutrients, virtually equivalent to the canning process, plus a few more chemical changes. Organic foods, at least at present, are not being irradiated...Thank God.
I'VE READ THAT 89% OF CORN HAS BEEN SPRAYED OR GENETICALLY ENGINEERED. CORN SHOULD GO ON THE "BUY ORGANIC LIST". I REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD BUY EVERYTHING ORGANIC!
Interesting, Cec. Thanks for the information!
I understand that the Environmental Working Group put this list together. While a respected environmental group, I think they make a grave error by including bananas on the "okay to buy non-organic" list. While they do have a thicker skin (peel) than most of the produce on the "buy organic" list, conventional bananas are often aerially sprayed with pesticides and fungicides, exposing both the fruit and the people that cultivate it, to incredibly harmful toxins. Also, in many places, the growers will wrap the growing fruit in a plastic bag lined with pesticides. When it's time for harvest, those pesticide-laden bags end up in water ways (sometimes the same water ways that are the source of drinking water for the workers and their families). Conventionally grown bananas are both environmentally destructive and unsafe for the workers who grow them. I would be surprised if the other items on the ok list don't share a similar story.
Chef Shaun 12 days ago
These foods SHOULD be on your Organics only list, not for pesticides but for GMO's! 88% of corn is GMO, 50% of Hawaiian papaya is GMO, so do your research and watch out!