Food to Avoid in the Produce Aisle

             

Healthy eating is easier said than done. Even the best intentions can be useless when you consider how your beautiful fruits and vegetables got to your kitchen table. There are certain items to avoid in the produce aisle, and we're sharing the "dirty dozen" - foods that you should buy organic rather than conventionally grown. 

 

What's the truth about the health benefits of organic produce? Though many people feel organic produce is higher in nutritional value than conventionally grown produce, there's actually no hard evidence to support it. A significant number of studies have been done (including a recent ground-breaking review by The American College of Physicians) that disprove the theory that organic produce is healthier when it comes to nutritional value.

In the plus column for organic produce you'll find that there is less pesticide residue on organic produce than found on conventional fruits and vegetables. You can lower your risk by buying organically grown produce that's on the dirty dozen list.  

 

We're sharing a list of fruits and vegetables that have been labeled the dirty dozen (plus a few more!) by Environmental Working Group:  Apples, Celery, Cherry

 

Even though your favorite fruits and vegetables are on the list of the dirty dozen, it doesn't mean you should stop eating them. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does a very good job of limiting the amount, and type of pesticides used by all U.S. farmers, including conventional growers. We've come along way from the 1960's when spraying DDT and other poisons were commonly used farming methods. 

 

Eat your fruits and veggies and feel good about it. The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of scant pesticide exposure. It's nearly impossible to produce a food crop that is totally pesticide-free, organic or otherwise. And the good news is that each year there are tighter restrictions imposed by government agencies to bring even cleaner produce to your table. 

 

Innovations in agriculture continue to make great strides in bringing better seeds to market that resist pests without harmful pesticides. These commercial grade hybrid seeds are cross-bred to take the best plant varieties and come up with stronger, more nutritious, and tastier versions. These hybrid seeds are not to be confused with Genetically Modified seeds (GMO). 

 

GMO's get a well-deserved bad rap from healthy food advocates. They are made by gene cloning and protein engineering and produce many undesirable side effects. Don't worry. Fruits and vegetables grown from GMO's are not commonly found in your fresh produce aisle.

GMO's are typically found in feed corn, and corn used for processed foods like potato chips, soda pop, and other foods containing corn syrup. Stay away from GMO's by eating whole fruits and vegetables (frozen and canned included) and eating less meat. Make more meals from scratch and bake your own wholesome treats where you control the ingredients. Drive by the fast-food drive-in and instead, park in the lot of your favorite produce market.

Congratulations! You are now a more informed consumer. You know which fruits and vegetables are on the dirty dozen list. You understand the difference between hybrid seeds and GMO's. And, you can speak intelligently about the benefits of organically grown produce. There are tremendous health benefits to eating fruits and vegetables, so go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the produce aisle next time you go shopping.