| Do you know what vegetables to buy organic and | | | | 5. Winter Squash: When tested, two-thirds of winter |
| what is not worth the trouble? | | | | squash samples exceeded the safe daily limit for a |
| Organic vegetables are wonderful, and well worth | | | | young child of Dieldrin, a chlorinated, carcinogenic |
| their price, say some. Growing your own organic | | | | insecticide. Heptachlor, another powerful carcinogen |
| vegetables is best, of course. You feel safer knowing | | | | was also found. Winter squash in baby food |
| exactly what was used on your vegetables before | | | | contained DDT. |
| they got to your table. But if you cannot grow your | | | | What Fruits to Buy Organic |
| own organic vegetables, the argument goes, it is | | | | Organic vegetables are only part of the picture when |
| worth the trouble to find a store or farmers' market | | | | it comes to produce. Organic vegetables are often |
| where you can buy them. So let's suppose you take | | | | peeled and cooked before eating. Organic fruits are |
| that trouble. Let's suppose you find a source of | | | | often eaten unpeeled, especially by young children. |
| organic vegetables. | | | | Young children also consume much greater amounts |
| Do you know what vegetables to buy organic? Are | | | | of fresh fruit per pound of body weight than do |
| all organic vegetables worth the higher price? | | | | adults. The pesticides are concentrated more highly in |
| Organic vegetables that are certified organic under | | | | children. |
| U.S. Dept. of Agriculture regulations must be produced | | | | So while you're thinking about what vegetables to |
| without most synthetic pesticides, synthetic | | | | buy organic, you should also consider these 7 fruits. |
| fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones, and feed | | | | 1. Apples: Apples can contain methyl parathion. |
| made from animal parts. | | | | Whether fresh apples, applesauce, or baby food, |
| Organic certification sounds like something most of us | | | | they can also contain chlorpyrifos. |
| would want, but is it always necessary? Is it worth | | | | 2. Cantaloupe: Like tomatoes, cantaloupes grown by |
| the extra money? | | | | conventional means have been found high in |
| What Vegetables to Buy Organic | | | | chlorpyrifos. |
| These 5 organic vegetables are usually worth the | | | | 3. Grapes: Imported grapes can contain dimethoate. |
| higher prices, since conventionally grown versions | | | | Grapes grown in the U.S. contain methomyl and |
| contain high amounts of pesticide residues. | | | | methyl parathion. Methomyl is a carbamate insecticide |
| 1. Green beans: Conventionally grown green Beans | | | | listed as an endocrine disruptor. |
| can contain three organophosphates that are toxic to | | | | 4. Peaches: Peaches are perhaps the worst of all |
| the nervous system: acephate, dimethoate and | | | | fruits when grown conventionally. They contain high |
| methamidophos. They can also contain endosulfan, an | | | | amounts of iprodione residue, classified by the |
| insecticide that disrupts endocrine secretion. | | | | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a probable |
| 2. Potatoes: Non-organic potatoes are increasingly | | | | human carcinogen. Peaches also contain methyl |
| being exposed to pesticides, according to the | | | | parathion, an organophosphate insecticide. |
| Consumers Union. These potatoes may contain | | | | 5. Pears: All conventionally grown pears, whether |
| dieldrin and methamidophos. While this is bad enough | | | | fresh or in baby food, can contain methyl parathion, |
| for adults, children who eat potatoes are at risk for a | | | | as well as other insecticide residues. |
| high dose of aldicarb, a pesticide that pervades the | | | | 6. Raspberries: Organic raspberries may be expensive, |
| inside of the potato. | | | | but you will be avoiding the fungicide captan, |
| 3. Spinach: Spinach is ahead of all foods when it | | | | iprodione and carbaryl. |
| comes to DDT. Other pesticide residues are claimed | | | | 7. Strawberries: If you go for the beautiful red color |
| to be falling as U.S. farmers are learning to use less | | | | of conventionally grown strawberries, you should |
| quantities of synthetic insecticides. Nevertheless, | | | | know that it is caused by the fungicide captan, |
| spinach still can contain permethrin and dimethoate. | | | | believed to be a possible human. |
| Permethrin is thought to be potentially cancer-causing. | | | | What Organic Vegetables Should You Buy? |
| 4. Tomatoes: Tomatoes grown by conventional | | | | Some organic vegetables are probably not worth the |
| means have been found high in chlorpyrifos. | | | | extra cost. When organic vegetables and fruits pose |
| Chlorpyrifos, also known as Lorsban for farm use and | | | | a health risk high enough to be listed by Consumers |
| Dursban for home use, is the most heavily used | | | | Union, however, you may want to take notice. |
| insecticide in the United States. | | | | |