The smart organic shopper

To be or not to be organic?  This question has been puzzling Hamlet, but also today's consumers who believe in buying the cleanest and most nutritious fruits and vegetables, but are not sure whether every thing they buy needs to be organic.  Besides not all produce is readily available organic.


Whether you are on a budget or simply want to know which type of produce has the highest pesticide residues—and which do not—the following guide may help. 


"The Dirty Dozen”:  These tend to have the highest pesticide residues and it is suggested that you buy organic whether possible:


Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries


These have little to no traces of pesticides, and is usually safe to consume in non-organic form:


Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Corn
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Kiwi fruit
Mango
Onions
Peas
Pineapples
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Watermelon