15 foods you don’t need to buy organic!

This article caught my eye and I thought I should share it with you.

If you are like me and you want to reduce your exposure to pesticides, chemical fertilisers and other toxic substances, but still want to save money at the grocery store -- you are always torn between taking advantage of good bargains -- those alluring specials -- and staying true to your need to reduce your exposure to toxins.

Guess what? The article below provides a summary of food items that you can buy conventional and those whose organic version is so much better. Now I can do my grocery shopping without worrying about my "green' credentials.

The bottomline is that the choices that we make do affect our health, the environment and future generations so it does really matter even if there is no "green police" watching every choice that you make.

15 foods you don’t need to buy organic

Although I enjoy the grocery store (maybe it’s because I’m a dietitian that I love checking out new products and comparing food labels), lately my husband is doing our grocery shopping. 

His budget-friendly buys are great for our bank account. But they don’t always align with my interest in eating organically. We don’t buy everything organic, but pesticides can be absorbed into fruits and vegetables, leaving trace residues, and I’d prefer to not eat pesticides. 

Long-term exposure to them has been associated with cancer, infertility and neurologic conditions, such as Parkinson’s. (Here are 4 ways to reduce your exposure to pesticides.)

Anyway, one day he called me from the produce aisle. Andy wanted to know what on the list he truly needed to buy organic and what he could skimp on and buy conventional. (Does organic produce have more nutrients? Find out here.)

Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization) has identified 15 fruits and vegetables that are least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues. I told him to save money and buy those conventional:

1. Asparagus
2. Avocado
3. Broccoli
4. Cabbage
5. Eggplant
6. Kiwi
7. Mango
8. Onions
9. Papaya
10. Pineapple
11. Sweet corn (frozen)
12. Sweet peas (frozen)
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Tomatoes
15. Watermelon

EWG also identified 12 fruits and vegetables that are most likely to have higher trace amounts of pesticides. (If your budget allows, buy these 18 foods organic too.) We buy organic:

1. Apples
2. Carrots
3. Celery
4. Cherries
5. Grapes (imported)
6. Kale
7. Lettuce
8. Nectarines
9. Peaches
10. Pears
11. Sweet bell peppers
12. Strawberries

Do you buy organic? What foods do you think it’s worth to save on and which do you spend more on for organic?

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.

Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as an associate editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/whats-fresh-trying-to-save-money-15-foods-you-don-t-need-to-buy-organic-999969/

Your Health and the Environment: Protecting Your Piece of the Planet

By Matthew Hoffman, MD
WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Think your home is pretty green? Maybe it is. But take a look at the darker corners of your basement, garage, and backyard shed. You'll likely find a miniature toxic waste dump, getting larger by the year.

Americans generate more than 1.5 million tons of hazardous household waste every year. Anything that has a label with the word poison, danger, warning, or caution is considered hazardous household waste and all of them pose potential risks to your health and the environment. If your home is like most, you could easily have 100 pounds of toxic junk lurking in the basement, garage, and closets.

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When it's time for the next cleaning (spring or otherwise), do it in a way that makes your home and the environment safer, says Kathy Shay, water quality education manager for Austin, Texas and its Grow Green program. "Your home has its own environmental protection agency, and it's you," says Shay. "There are dozens of ways you can go a little greener at home that are simple, but also powerful."

Go Green: Plan, Don't Just Pitch It

In a garage overpopulated by cans of crusty paint, sludged oil, half-full pesticide sprayers, and cemented caulk tubes, the solution can seem easy. Put them down the storm drain or into the trash bin -- anything to be rid of the stuff.

Experts warn against ever pouring suspect chemicals down the drain, into storm sewers, or backyard dirt. "A single can of oil can travel through acres of soil," says Paul McRandle, deputy editor for National Geographic's Green Guide. "And water treatment plants aren't set up to process petrochemicals. They end up in the water, in the fish -- and eventually back on your plate."

Read more:

Your Health and the Environment: Protecting Your Piece of the Planet