Let’s talk organic September 🌱
Have you heard of the dirty dozen and clean 15?
These are a guide to how much pesticides produce contain. The dirty dozen refers to the top 12 fruit and veggies found to have the highest amount of pesticide residue and the clean 15 to have the least.
Organic isn’t a fad or a trend, they contain higher levels of certain nutrients and lower levels of pesticides, just how nature intended and how everything was grown way back before the western world made an attempt to feed people more easily in a mass-produced way. This has led to food becoming full of chemicals that are harmful to the planet, animals and us. Contributing to many diseases we are faced with today.
However, choosing organic isn’t always affordable, so here are a few alternate tips to help healthier choices…
LEARN THE DIRTY DOZEN & CLEAN 15 LIST
Foods vary in how much pesticides/chemicals they contain, those with no skin/ thinner skin or sprayed heavily have a higher chemical concentration.
Dirty dozen: strawberries, spinach, kale nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes.
Clean 15 list (fine to buy not organic) Avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, peas (frozen), aubergine, asparagus, cauliflower, cantaloupe melon, broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, honeydew melon, kiwi.
VINEGAR WASH YOUR FRUIT & VEGGIES
Soaking your produce for 5-10mins in a 3:1 ratio of water and vinegar not only helps kill harmful bacteria but also lowers the pesticide residue.
BUY LOCAL
Or even better grown your own! Buying local may not be organic but it’s a better choice. Because its locally grown you get the benefit from fresher more nutritious food and you’re helping out a local business at the same time. It also means your food hasn’t travelled long distances which helps the carbon footprint.
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR SKIN
Food doesn’t only apply here; personal care products right down to the bedding we sleep on is just as important. Our skin is the bodies largest organ and absorbs everything we put on it, so try to be mindful of the products you use. I’ll be going into more deets about this in a separate post in the near future.
