The two things in our title usually don’t go together but Dr.Oz has come up with these great “3 simple organic food rules” that will help you determine when you should go organic and when you should save your cash.
GO ORGANIC…
1. When the skin is thin – Even if you wash your fruits and vegetables (you absolutely should!) they are still full of pesticides. If it has thin skin and/or skin that you typically eat, you should definitely go organic. With thicker skinned produce you are ridding the produce of most of the pesticides when you throw out the skin. Thicker skin means a better barrier to pesticides.
Go Organic: Apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, pears, nectarines, peppers, celery, potatoes, and carrots
Save the Moolah: Avocados, eggplants, pineapples, bananas, corn, kiwi, mangoes, papaya, sweet peas, oranges, grapefruit, and squash
2. With leafy greens – Leafy greens are particularly susceptible to pests, so they are often grown with high levels of pesticides, and scrubbing every leaf to ensure that you removed all the chemicals is usually too difficult. Other vegetables, such as broccoli, either don’t retain pesticides very well or don’t need a lot to begin with, so it’s okay to go with conventionally grown varieties.
Go Organic: All lettuces and greens such as kale, collards, mustard, swiss chard, and spinach
Save the Moolah: Broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant, melons, and sweet potatoes
3. With milk NOT fish – There is evidence that organic milk has higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep our hearts healthy. Although much of the hormones and antibiotics used in conventional milk production are washed out before it gets to the consumer, the process isn’t perfect and some make it through.
How can you tell if fish grown in the ocean is actually organic? Just because it is wild doesn’t make it better. With wild fish it is impossible to know if it encountered any pesticides. The USDA has no guidelines for certifying organic seafood.
Go Organic: Milk, yogurt, and cheese
Save the Moolah: Fish and other seafood
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