Organic versus non-organic food

by Lory
(US)

Question: Is there really a big difference between organic and non-organic food? I really want to be vegan but I have a few kids and can't afford to buy the costly organic foods in the store. How much of a health impact does non-organic food actually have?

Answer from Ina at Belsandia.com:
The health benefits of eating organic lie in the fact that certain pesticides inhibit the nutrients in some fruits and vegetables. It is not clear to what degree, but generally the nutritious value of your produce appears somehow lower in conventionally treated foods. It's already good if you don't eat meat and fish, as these are by far the most highly polluted foods.

You don't need to buy everything organic, as there are some foods that are worse offenders than others. Also try multiple different places to get these foods cheaper. if you have a Trader Joe's or Fresh & Easy in your neighborhood, these grocery stores often have good deals on some organic produce.

Here is a list of the 12 worst contaminated foods with pesticides, and if anyhow possible, it would be preferable to get these organic. At least peal the skin off the ones you can't get organic:

The Top 12 Offenders – Always Buy These Organic:
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Cherries
Kale/Collard Greens
Potatoes
Grapes (Imported)

If you do consume soy products, I would recommend getting these organic as well, as soy is almost always GMO and is heavily treated too. It may make a difference here.

Here are the least contaminated foods, which you can buy non-organic. If you eat mainly these foods you don't need to worry about organic quite that much.

The Clean 15 Foods – Lowest in Pesticides:
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mangos
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potato
Honeydew