The Diet Solution: Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Ever walk into the grocery store and wonder what fruits and vegetables should I absolutely buy organic! The Dirty Dozen is published each year by the Environmental Working Group. 

The Diet Solution Program incorporates many organic foods. If you are on a budget, this information will benefit your grocery shopping tab. It's evident some fruits and vegetables contain more pesticides than others. Here is a list of fruits and veggies that you should buy organic:

The Dirty Dozen (Environmental Working Group include:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

Notice apples are #1. Oh my, a pesticide filled apple is not going to keep the doctor away. It's best to look for organic apples whenever possible. Isabel De Los Rios, the creator of The Diet Solution Program's favorite snack is an apple with raw almond butter. If you've only had roasted almond butter, please try the raw kind. You will notice the difference. Roasting the almonds diminishes the health benefits of the almonds.

I love Raw Almond Butter from Trader Joe's. It's less grainy than most and retains it's moisture. Raw Almond Butter is delicious and yummy to add to fruit and veggies as a snack.

Ok, going back to our list. Did you see all the lettuce on there? Yikes, I thought greens were healthy. It can be hard to find every kind of organic green unless you go to a specialty store, but be sure to purchase what's available organic in your local store.

Seasonally, you can find many delicious produce items in your local Farmer's Market, and the best part -- the prices are better!

Also, if you are pregnant, it's important not to expose your growing baby to the pesticides in fruit and veggies. Be sure to buy organic whenever possible...especially the fruit and veggies on The Dirty Dozen list.

The Environmental Working Group also includes The Clean Fifteen in their report. These fruits and veggies have the least amount of residue pesticides in the actual produce, making it safer for you to consume. With budgets to adhere to, this list makes it possible to place non-organic grown fruits and veggies into your cart.

The Clean Fifteen Fruits and Veggies include:

1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplants
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

When cooking your delicious veggies, saute them in a little coconut oil. The benefits of coconut oil are endless. All these fruits and veggies are part of healthy diet solution recipes. If you are interested in some free recipes, click here, scroll down, click "Easy Diet Recipes"! Enjoy!

While it might not be possible to buy all organic produce, sticking to purchasing The Dirty Dozen organic and The Clean Fifteen non-organic and you should have money left over for your remaining grocery items!