During my weekly trip to the supermarket, I spend about 70 percent of my time in the produce section. I love fresh fruits and vegetables and would love to buy all organic, but like most people, I can't afford the higher prices on every produce item from bananas to lettuce.
But when I factor in the health benefits of organics, suddenly I can justify adding a few higher-cost fruits and vegetables to my basket. In some cases organic is actually healthier than conventional produce.
According to the Environmental Working Group, these are the 10 foods worth buying organic (they're the most heavily contaminated with pesticides when grown conventionally):
- Apples
- Bell peppers
- Celery
- Cherries
- Lettuce
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Strawberries
- Imported grapes
And to help you justify your higher food costs, consider these three reasons to eat organic that writer Marissa Lippert uncovered in the March/April issue of EatingWell.
By Michelle Edelbaum
Michelle is the associate editor of interactive for EatingWell Media Group. In between editing and writing, she enjoys sampling the tasty results of the easy, healthy recipes that the EatingWell Test Kitchen cooks are working on.
Related Links:
-
Find out how to shop for the "greenest" produce with our Green Choices Produce Buyer's Guide.
-
Eat in season with our delicious spring produce recipes starring fresh fruits and vegetables, such as asparagus, peas and strawberries.
- See what's Fresh & In Season right now.
- Get a Free Trial Issue of EatingWell!
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