3. Don’t always buy organic
Organically produced or reared fruit, vegetables, meat, wholegrains and pulses are generally more expensive to buy. This is because it takes more time and resources to farm them and the land they occupy without using chemical fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides.
However, many people like to choose organic produce so that they’re consuming food that’s free from artificial chemicals and has been grown and reared in safer, kinder, more environmentally sound conditions. So the key, if you’d like to purchase organic food, is to choose wisely.
Each year, a “Dirty Dozen” list is produced of the top 12 fruits and vegetables that contain the highest level of pesticides. These are usually foods that are eaten whole, without peeling. The current list of foods that we recommend choosing organic if you can, includes apples, grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers. Conversely, the “Clean 15” that tend to have lower pesticide levels include sweetcorn, cabbage, onions and pineapples.
Summary:
Keep an eye on the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list each year, and base any organic purchases around that.
