As we move into summertime, fruits and vegetable will become more prevalent in our daily lives. From bar-b-ques and picnics to summer salads and homemade goodies, it's important to understand how those juicy sweet morsels can also contain carcinogens.
I think many people know about the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 but reminders are always good and can be helpful to those who are unaware. To keep it simple, the Dirty Dozen are fruits and vegetables you should ALWAYS buy organic, while the Clean 15 don't need to be. As we all know, Organic can often be more expensive so knowing the 'why' behind how this all works can help save both your health and your wallet.
Typically, the majority of fruits and veggies on the Dirty Dozen test positive for pesticide residues and have higher concentrations of pesticides than most other produce. As such, you should always try buy these items organic when possible. Fun fact: Did you know those numbers on the stickers for the fruit and veggies tell you if they are organic or not? The number 9 in front of the numbers mean organic.
Short list:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard & mustard greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Cherries
Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
For the Clean 15, comparatively fewer pesticides were found. What it actually refers to is the fifteen crops that have the lowest levels of pesticide contamination. Therefore, these fifteen crops do not need to be purchased organic.
Short list:
Avocados
Sweet corn*
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya*
Sweet peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Honeydew melon
Watermelon
Sweet Potatoes
As you do your grocery shopping, not only keep an out for the differences in this produce but also on where you move throughout your trip at the store. Stay to the outer edges of the store and grab healthier choices. Meaning those foods that are grown and not manufactured or processed like chips, cereals, canned food, sauces, salad dressings and the like.
No matter what kind of produce you purchase (Organic or not), always wash any produce for the best bet! Understanding these small differences in the produce you love can help you and your family’s health, stay tuned for more helpful nutrition tips in my upcoming blogs where we'll talk about everything from immunity to cancer, GMO's, supplementation, helpful, easy and healthy cooking tips, using oils and spices, getting in shape, making small changes that stick and more.
We have simple philosophy at Mettacasa Wellness: Take care of your body and your body will take care of you! From the food you eat to the supplements you take, how much water you drink and the exercise you do it all works together to support your beautiful, hard-working body. ​
The right food and diet, coupled with exercise can combat almost any disease.
Feel free to reach out to me today for your free consultation.
To your health and happiness,
Sam
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