Organic Produce - Some things you'll want to know* Treat your taste buds and your body to chemical free fruits and veggies! Why? You'll get fresh, natural produce, grown without pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides or fumigants. And studies have shown that organic fruits and veggies are richer in disease fighting nutrients than conventionally grown produce. The freshness and flavor of organic fruits and vegetables is so much better than conventionally grown because organic produce is allowed to ripen on the vine. This maximizes the phytochemical content, making it more nutritious. Conventionally grown produce is usually picked when underipe and then allowed to ripen en route to the store. Here are some other things you'll want to know: CERTIFIED ORGANIC means that the producer adheres to specific standards is certified by a state organic-farming board or by Quality Assurance International. To become certified, the farmer must have farmed organically for at least three years. ORGANIC REGULATIONS by the USDA require any product labeled "organic" to contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients. Products labeled "made with organic ingredients" (like salad dressings) must contain at least 70% organic ingredients. WHEN TO BUY ORGANIC: The list below shows the fruits and vegetables that the USDA says have shown to have the most pesticide residues. Although they may be more expensive than conventionally grown produce, it may be safer to buy the organic whenever you can of the following: Fruits: Apples Apricots Blackberries Cantalope Grapes Nectarines Peaches Pears Plums Strawberries Vegetables: Carrots Celery Cucumbers Green Beans Parsnips Peppers Radishes Rutabagas Spinach Turnips spinach Use this list as a guideline the next time you shop! *Article adapted from FIRST magazine, Aug. 2001 Thanks to http://purplemountainproducts.com from "The Staying Health Shopper's Guide: Feed Your Family Safely", Elson M. Haas, MD Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.