REALAGE TIP

12 Foods Where Organic Makes Sense

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.

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What's your best tip for washing fruits and veggies?

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Bluescamp

1 of 2 people found this helpful.

5/17/2008 8:11:05 PM

I was diagnosed with autoimmune disease about 5 yrs ago. I started eating organic veggies, chicken, & beef. I had BioSet treatments (electromagetic testing) for 2.5 yrs. I no longer need BioSet and no longer have autoimmune disease! I'm much healthier than I was in 2002-2003!!

Would someone please explain about how calcium can be absorbed by my bones instead of in my arteries?

I inherit high cholesterol and can't take statin drugs.

PrettyP

7 of 10 people found this helpful.

5/9/2008 8:33:14 AM

Since eating organic, my adult daughter has lost weight, no longer has gall bladder like attacks, and feels much better and has less digestion problems. There be must something different and better about organic foods. I try to buy mostly organic when shopping if I have a choice.

[Edited by PrettyP on 5/9/2008 8:35:04 AM]

kushi

3 of 5 people found this helpful.

5/9/2008 7:29:19 AM

I am from india and i completely agree with CAfarmer that Organic food have higher nutrients. its very logical,if food is produced using only natural substances it should be more nutrient.because most of the pesticides kills some of the nutrients in the food.but its really bad that organic food is very expensive but its still better to buy organic food .In India people use cow dung also as a fertilizers.and we wash fruits and green leafy vegetables like spinach,mustard,lettuce with salty water( mix one spoon salt in some water)to kill bacteria and remoce wax.

dottiebj

22 of 22 people found this helpful.

5/8/2008 5:32:24 AM

Why aren't responders answering the original question of how best to wash the fruits and veggies? I've read that the best way is to spray them with a vinegar and water solution, and then with hydrogen peroxide. This also helps remove wax on them.

kindsoul

2 of 5 people found this helpful.

5/7/2008 5:01:49 PM

it is a great motivating sight, but still why we do what we do in terms of eating healthy and doing exercise /smoking etc?

doughqueen

8 of 11 people found this helpful.

5/7/2008 8:11:54 AM

I love organic food. Unfortunately, organic food is significantly more expensive than non-organic foods.

klinkie

6 of 8 people found this helpful.

5/6/2008 1:31:37 PM

I read all the tips but I don't know if it counts for Europe as well. For instance here we are warned about the level of pesticides in oranges (especially from Spain). Since internet is international it would be helpful if reference is made to the differences in the USA and Europe should there be any.

CAfarmer

30 of 30 people found this helpful.

5/6/2008 9:28:31 AM

Comments on Lornadoone: I am an organic farmer and yes, we do use pesticides and fertilizers. Only ones made from natural sources with no synthetic additions. Also, even a natural substance such as nicotine, which is carcinogenic, cannot be used in organic farming for that reason. Using less of a poisonous substance does not make it qualify under the rules of organic.
Chemical farmers often use synthetic "replicas" of naturally occuring pesticides. "Pyrethroids" in place of pyrethrin, which is from a chrysanthemum.
Purveyors of chemicals try to make it seem that organic growers are using dangerous chemicals when it's simply not true.
"Food scientist delvian" needs to update his/her information. Multiple studies have found organic foods to have higher nutrient values. They aren't hard to find. go to www.organicconsumers.org for one source. Different varieties of the same fruit also have different nutrients and many other variables come into play. "A watermelon is a watermelon is a watermelon" is simply not true in any way.
UncleWayne, glad you've been lucky. Even people exposed to nuclear radiation often take decades before the horrible results show up. By then it's hard to prove the real cause.

lornadoone078

27 of 30 people found this helpful.

5/6/2008 8:26:27 AM

I work with agriculture and find that one common misconception is that "organic" means "pesticide-free". This is not true. Some pesticides are used on (and approved for) organic crops. These pesticides often have lower quantities of an active ingredient used on non-organic crops or may be considered "safer" but they are still pesticides of some kind. Unless you speak to the grower in person, you are not assured of getting "pesticide-free" when you buy organic.

[Edited by lornadoone078 on 5/6/2008 8:29:50 AM]

Grreatron

18 of 18 people found this helpful.

5/6/2008 7:45:13 AM

I heard somewhere that washing food with soap, etc. will not get rid of much of the pesticides but spraying it with a mixture of vinegar and water will do the trick. Does anyone else have such info?

iweriso

11 of 28 people found this helpful.

5/6/2008 4:02:30 AM

Word kills and word maketh alive. If any man can be able to control his tongue, he has finished his race.

springey

18 of 20 people found this helpful.

5/5/2008 8:36:06 PM

I wash all hard skinned fruit with dish soap ,soak grapes for a few min. then rinse well

PEANUTS13

30 of 34 people found this helpful.

5/5/2008 7:02:20 PM

REMEMBER TO WASH ALL MELONS PRIOR TO SLICING IN ORDER TO PREVENT SPREADING GERMS TO THE EDIBLE PORTION. THIS GOES FOR CITRUS FRUIT ALSO.

UncleWayne

35 of 37 people found this helpful.

5/5/2008 4:57:56 PM

Washing veggies is always a good idea. Too little is understood about all the safeguards in place regarding pesticides on foods. The risk is virtually zero. I have been eating conventially grown "dirty dozen" products for almost sixty years as has my family. Please do not scare people away from eating these healthful foods.

PyesAngel

26 of 26 people found this helpful.

5/5/2008 2:07:16 PM

We buy Organic whenever possible from our Whole Foods Co-op and also from local farmers. I was surprised at the difference in the taste of Organic, compared with non-organic. It is sooo much better!!! in every way. I was introduced to Organic foods on my first trip to California, in the '80's. That's all my relatives will eat and it is so very available in CA. The poultry and beef also have a better flavour, when raised without the use of hormones, antibiotics, etc. Especially the beef, which should be grass fed and not grain fed.

JeremyGood

7 of 10 people found this helpful.

5/5/2008 1:15:31 PM