The Environmental Working Group (an organization of scientists, researchers and policymakers), says certain types of organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins you consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent, thereby reducing your risk of cancer and other diseases.
The group has a list called “The Dirty Dozen” for conventionally (chemically) grown produce which tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67 – after they had been thoroughly washed.
For produce on the “dirty” list, you should definitely go organic — unless you relish the idea of consuming a chemical cocktail. The list, compiled from US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, includes:
- celery
- peaches
- strawberries
- apples
- domestic blueberries
- nectarines
- sweet bell peppers
- spinach, kale and collard greens
- cherries
- potatoes
- imported grapes
- lettuce
The remarkable thing here is that I grow all the vegetables listed and have never — not once — had occasion to use chemicals on them — not pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or fertilizers. I grow organically, mind you.
