"My take is that organic is better than conventional, but conventional produce is better than no produce at all. Vegetables (and fruits to a lesser degree) are on par with meat in terms of importance to your diet. Organic produce may have a bit more of various nutrients. It may have fewer pesticides, but even conventional produce has more than enough good qualities to overcome the bad elements of pesticide and fertilizer residues.
And if you have to focus your dollars on where they’ll do the most good, here are two lists to help you out. First, the 12 Most Tainted Foods:
1. Strawberries
2. Bell peppers (green and red)
3. Spinach (tied with number 2)
4. Cherries (grown in the United States)
5. Peaches (grown in Chile)
6. Cantaloupe (grown in Mexico)
7. Celery
8. Apples
9. Apricots
10. Green beans
11. Grapes
12. Cucumbers
And the 12 Least Tainted Foods
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn (frozen)
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet Peas (frozen)
8. Kiwi
9. Banana
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Papaya
So first, put your dollars towards grass-fed/pastured/wild meat, poultry, and seafood. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s worth it. I would rather see someone eat meat from properly raised animals coupled with conventional produce rather than conventional meat with organic produce. After that, focus on the upper list and avoid spending your money on organic items from the bottom list until you’ve pretty well gone organic in the other areas. So don’t let “I can’t afford organic” be your excuse. And as always, focus on eating whole foods, in their natural states, rather than processed food products."
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