Practical Application: Organics and the Dirty Dozen

When you shop for fruits and vegetables, there's almost always a regular and an organic produce choice. In an ideal world, we'd all go for the organic stuff to save our bodies and our earth-friendly conscious. However, organic produce costs more! How do you know when to spring for the organic? Consult the "dirty dozen" and "clean 15" list.

The Dirty Dozen (foods to buy organic or grow in your own garden if you can):
1. Peach
2. Apple
3. Sweet Bell Pepper
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes - imported
11. Carrot
12. Pear

The Clean 15 (foods most safe to buy non-organic):
1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn - frozen
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet Peas - frozen
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato


You can print a wallet-sized cheat sheet or download to your iPhone here at EWG's FoodNews website.

Remember, though, fruits and vegetables are good for your health even if you can't afford the organic versions. Not buying organic is no excuse to not eat produce. Conversely, blowing your grocery budget to buy organic produce is ill-advised.