Written by Dr. Sandra Miranda, ND
“Organic” refers to a method of farming used to grow and process agricultural products like fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and meat. Organic farming excludes conventional methods of fertilization and pesticides for weed control. Organic farmers use natural fertilizers to feed soil and plants and use crop rotation or mulch to manage weeds. In addition, organic farming is a more sustainable option since it’s designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution.
Why choose organic?
Buying Organic Produce
Purchasing foods that are all organic can be inconvenient and expensive. Luckily, not all foods are produced with the same volume of pesticides. There are certain produce items with high pesticide content that should be purchased organic as often as possible. There are also produce items traditionally grown with a lower amount of pesticides. These should be chosen when an organic option is not available.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a list of foods with the highest and lowest pesticides each year.
EWG’s Clean Fifteen – Lower in pesticide fruits and veggies:
Other clean foods not listed in Clean Fifteen:
bananas, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, chard, corn,
lettuce, okra, papaya, peaches (canned), peas, radishes, tangerines, tomatoes, watermelon
Do what’s best for your body and the environment…. Go Organic!