Summer Produce: What to Buy Organic
Last month, a couple of ladies in my Flourishing 50s community who live in the Southern California area got together for a little outing in Long Beach.
We didn’t have much planned, so we decided to just start walking… And walk we did!
One of the ladies had her Fitbit on and said we walked 12K steps just that afternoon!
One of the places we walked to was the local farmer’s market, which had a beautiful array of fruits and vegetables and plenty of samples to try.
While farmer’s markets are great, I understand that they can be few and far between, so to get your fruits and veggies, just visit your local grocery store if that works better for you as it does for me.
What’s more, over the past few years, I’ve especially tried not to rush in and out of the grocery store; rather, I stop and smell the produce… literally!
But not just smell it, I take my time looking around at the variety of choices we have and I remind myself of the abundance of nutrition that is available to us, especially as I think of those who are currently suffering and dying from famine.
We’re fortunate to have so much to choose from and summer is a great time to try new fruits and veggies; however, before you take a bite out of any of them, I thought I’d remind you of the Dirty Dozen for 2017 – that is, the 12 fruits and vegetables that you should buy organic.
In case you’re wondering, no, you don’t have to buy everything organic.
Personally, I like to when I can because I want to support organic farmers, but it’s not necessary for your health that you do.
While organic does cost a little more, I believe that it’s always worth spending a little more money on your health.
As I like to say, the investment in your body and health has a much greater return than any other investment you can make.
Today, I’m going to share with you what 12 fruits and vegetables you should buy organic.
You might even find it helpful to print the list out or write them down before your next trip to the grocery store, or just pull it up on your phone the next time you’re in the produce section.
Plus, they change slightly yearly, so it’s important to stay up to date.
Here are the Dirty Dozen for 2017.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the following are the Dirty Dozen for 2017, that is, the 12 fruits and vegetables you should buy organic:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Peaches
- Pears
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Sweet bell peppers
- Potatoes
+ Hot peppers
I also recommend checking out the EWG’s Clean Fifteen, which are the 15 fruits and veggies that are least likely to contain pesticides. These you don’t have to buy organic if you don’t want to.
To learn more and get further information on produce and pesticides, visit the FAQ page on the EWG’s website where you’ll get a lot of helpful information.
I hope you enjoy all the delicious produce this season has to offer you!
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