Organic Produce

Health Considerations

• Some fruits and vegetables tend to display higher levels of contamination than others: The USDA has found that, even after washing, certain types of produce consistently carry higher levels of pesticide residues than others (for a full list, see the table later in this section). As a result, some health experts believe that it’s a good idea to eat organic for those fruits and vegetables that tend to be the most contaminated, but that it’s unnecessary to eat organic for those fruits and vegetables that tend to be less contaminated.
• Even organic farmers use some pesticides: Most organic farmers do use some form of pesticides, including a small number of synthetic pesticides approved by the NOP. In addition, tests have shown that any type of produce can pick up airborne pesticide residues from nearby farms. Therefore, though organic produce is less likely to contain residues than conventionally grown produce, don’t assume that it’s 100% free of these residues.
• Some pesticide fears may be irrational: You may be tempted to reduce your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables out of a fear of pesticide residues. Though you may avoid possible dangers associated with these residues, you’re likely to cause more harm to your health by forgoing essential fruits and vegetables. The nutritional benefits that these foods provide far outweigh the potential risks of consuming small amounts of pesticide residues.
• Imported produce is harder to regulate: An increasing amount of produce sold in the United States—both organic and nonorganic—is imported from abroad, where it’s often harder to monitor growing practices and ensure that labeling is accurate. It’s far easier to gather information about domestically grown produce­—and even easier to get information about locally grown produce.

Most Contaminated Produce

Least Contaminated Produce

Environmental Considerations

• Use of synthetic fertilizers
• Monocropping
• Reliance on irrigation
• Contamination of water supplies
• Reliance on long-distance food transportation
• Loss of biodiversity

Recommendations

• If exposure to pesticide residues alarms you: Use the tables in this section as guidelines for purchasing organic produce. If you choose organic versions of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, you could reduce your pesticide exposure by almost 90%.
• If you have young children: Consider purchasing organic produce whenever possible.
• If environmental issues are your chief concern: Buy organic produce as often as your budget allows.
• If you’re on a tight food budget: Among produce items, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes, radishes, and turnips tend to have the smallest price difference between organic and nonorganic varieties.

Where to Buy Organic Produce

• Food cooperatives: Many food co-ops are dedicated to buying local organic produce, and most have cheaper prices than your local supermarket.
• Local farmers’ markets: At farmers’ markets, you can often talk directly to the farmers and ask them about their growing practices. Although many farmers who participate in these markets do not operate certified organic farms (because of prohibitively expensive certification costs), they often employ farming practices just as rigorous as many certified farms.
• Community-supported agriculture (CSA): Your community may operate one or more programs that pair members directly with local farmers who supply them with produce all season. Members generally agree to pay a farmer ahead of time for their share of the season’s yield and receive a box of produce once a week for the duration of the harvest season. The website www.localharvest.org is a great resource for locating farmers’ markets and CSAs in your area.