Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog
The Dirty Dozen & The Clean Fifteen
If you are trying to eat properly & live a healthy lifestyle, chances are that you don't want an INSANE amount of pesticides entering your body in the process, right? I'm sure that most of you on here are aware of the importance of buying organic produce & meats these days. I'm a huge stickler for this in my household. I also know how overwhelming & expensive it can be so I've decided to share two lists from an app I have on my phone with you. The Dirty Dozen list (produce to buy organic versions of) & the Clean Fifteen (produce with the least amount of pesticides so you can purchase the cheaper option). Dr. Oz recommended the app one day on his show & I use it often when shopping on a budget.
DIRTY DOZEN (buy organic versions of these)
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Peaches
Spinach
Sweet Bell Peppers
Nectarines-imported
Cucumbers
Potatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Hot Peppers
Dirty Dozen PLUS:
Kale/Collard Greens
Summer Squash
CLEAN FIFTEEN (least amount of pesticides)
Sweet Corn
Onions
Pineapples
Avocados
Cabbage
Sweet Peas-frozen
Papayas
Mangos
Asparagus
Eggplant
Kiwi
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Sweet Potatoes
Mushrooms
Comments 3
Thanks for the list Jackie! I know organic is important to by for certain produce. I just wonder why it has to cost so much more than the standard produce. Less pesticides should cost less money, right? Anyway, certain foods I buy exclusively as organic, such as apples. I know there's a lot of pesticides on standard apples and I like the taste of the organic apples better anyway! Do you have a Whole Foods near you? They have an excellent selection of organic foods. Sometimes it's expense there, but if you compare the price of their organic with other stores, sometimes it's actually cheaper!
We don't have a Whole Foods here in Hamden. I go to Thyme & Season quite a bit & yes! It's pricey! I'm, seriously, considering just growing my own fruits & vegetables! It will give me the piece of mind knowing EXACTLY where my food comes from & how it's been treated.
Jackie, that sounds like a great idea. You're right, at least you would know exactly where your food is coming from!