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12 Foods Where Organic Makes Sense

Rating: 4 out of 5
Avoiding the "dirty dozen" could dramatically cut your exposure to pesticides.

What's the dirty dozen, you ask? It's a watch list of the 12 most pesticide-polluted fruits and veggies. Solution: Grab the organic versions.

Good Reason to Go Organic
According to John La Puma, MD -- RealAge expert and author of the new book ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine -- going organic with these 12 fruits and veggies could cut your exposure to pesticides as much as 90 percent!
  • Fruits
    • Peaches and nectarines
    • Strawberries and cherries
    • Apples and pears
    • Imported grapes
  • Veggies
    • Spinach and lettuce
    • Potatoes and celery
    • Sweet bell peppers
Beyond Pesticides
Cutting your exposure to pesticides is only one reason to go organic. La Puma says you'll be healthier, too, because some organic foods are more nutritious than their conventionally grown counterparts.

And here's a surprise: Even the organic version of this condiment may be healthier for you.

Check out ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine for additional healthful-eating guides, tips, and reports.
RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

References Published on 05/07/2008.
ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine. La Puma, J., Marx, R. P., New York: Crown Publishing Group, 2008.

EDITOR'S PICK
ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine'


We are what we eat, and what we eat makes us strong and healthy or weak and frail. ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine is finally here to help you turn your kitchen pantry into a medicine cabinet. Eat your way to a healthier you with the fantastic flavors this MD dishes out.

Add RealAge partner Amazon.com to your bookmark favorites.

 
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Tips from the RealAge Community MemberTipsIcon
What's your best tip for washing fruits and veggies?
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lolamom
24 of 25 people found this helpful.
2/17/2009 10:10:40 AM

I get a produce wash that is supposed to remove pesticides that may be on the outside of the fruit/veggie, and it's all natural. It seems to [Show More]
getreal
20 of 25 people found this helpful.
2/16/2009 8:24:16 AM

I get a kick out of this debate. One may be better than the other, however, if you cannot afford it just peel the item and call it a day. [Show More]
tinkontheb...
19 of 20 people found this helpful.
2/16/2009 5:22:27 AM

Eating organic is clearly a healthier choice for the consumer, but it's a bigger picture than that. Even foods that don't absorb large amoun [Show More]
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