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foodandwine120Last week a Stanford University study was published indicating that organic food provides no more nutrients than non-organic food.  This was startling news to large numbers of people who had been purchasing organic food and normally spending more money than those of us who buy whatever produce is offered on our retailer’s counter.  The study might have left the implication that organic food purchasers had been wasting their money.   However there is a wrinkle to this story that is not often cited.  So, let me take this opportunity to cite it now.

Even though there may not be extra nutrients in organic food, there is still an advantage to ingesting it because organic food is free of pesticides and herbicides. Consequently I thought it would be helpful if I offered a guide identifying which fruits and vegetables usually have the highest pesticide load. In other words, if you’re going to spend money on organic food, spend it on these items. If you grow some of these yourself and don’t use chemicals of any kind then you might want to ignore this list.
  • Apples
  • Celery
  • Bell peppers
  • Peaches
  • Strawberries
  • Spinach
  • Nectarines (imported)
  • Grapes
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Cucumbers
  • Blueberries (domestic)
  • Potatoes
  • Green beans
  • Kale/collard greens
Why should we care about pesticides?  There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during vulnerable periods such as fetal development and childhood. Personally, I’m averse to ingesting any chemicals or, for that matter, substances with the suffix “ide”. Nevertheless, no matter what I put into my mouth, and no matter where it’s grown, I always give produce a good wash or scrubbing.

Click here to send comments to me.  I will answer each one personally and will print those that are of general interest.

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