March is Nutrition Awareness Month! This week we will discuss the “dirty dozen”, 12 produce items with the highest amounts of pesticides. We understand for many people on a budget it can be very expensive to stock organic fruits and vegetables for the entire family. The following produce items tend towards lots of pesticides and it is recommended to avoid these foods unless they are organic:
- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Pears
- Imported Grapes
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Potatoes
For those fortunate enough to have a local farmers market, and a little more room in their budget, buy the above foods in bulk when they are in season.
The following list of foods tend to have lower pesticide levels so the Organic label isn’t as important:
- Onions
- Avocado
- Frozen Sweet Corn
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Asparagus
- Frozen Sweet Peas
- Kiwi fruit
- Bananas
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Papaya
Check out organic.org for more information on eating Organic.
Have a recipe you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it, organic or not! Please post it on your social media page with the hashtag #SBBNutrition and you could win a StrongBoard!
