Eat your fruits and vegetables!

Summer is the perfect time to load up on all those gorgeous fruits and vegetables that aren't always available year-round at a price that won't unload your wallet. Not only are they tasty, but you get that smug frisson of delight that comes from eating "good" foods.  But just how "good" do they need to be? Is buying organic produce the only way to protect yourself and your family from pesticides and bacteria?

The United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) regulates organic standards and labeling.

Its website states, "Pesticide residues – traces of chemicals that were applied to food crops in the field, during processing and/or while in storage – are measurably different on organic foods and non-organic foods. Analysis . . . shows that organic produce carries significantly fewer pesticide residues than conventional produce."

Organic produce is widely available these days, especially in our area–between the Summit Farmers' Market on Sundays, Whole Foods and almost every grocery store, the selection is vast. But, in general, organic produce is more expensive than conventionally grown produce, so it's good to know where the extra dollars for organic food make sense. Several broad guidelines can help you make your choices:

• Spend your organic food dollars on produce that you eat the most. Common sense dictates that the more you eat of any food, the more you are exposed to pesticides contained in or on it. Especially with children, who may only love, say, blueberries or strawberries, consider purchasing the organic variety.
• Consider which kinds of produce are most likely to retain pesticide residue, and purchase the organic options. Generally, if you are eating the peel of an item, it is better to buy organic. At the top of the list of items that are most likely to retain pesticide residue in or on edible areas are apples, strawberries, peaches, and grapes in the fruit category, and celery, spinach, bell peppers, and potatoes in the vegetable category.
• If a particular fruit or vegetable is less likely to retain pesticide residue in or on edible areas, you can feel more comfortable buying the non-organic, less costly variety. Included in this group are pineapples, watermelon, cantaloupe and kiwi in the fruit category, and onions, corn, and peas in the non-fruit category. Perhaps surprisingly, asparagus, eggplant, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms are also acceptable non-organic choices.
• No matter what you buy, thoroughly clean your produce under streaming water. Although washing will not remove all residue, it will decrease the amount. Gently rub fruits and vegetables under running water; firmer items, such as potatoes and apples, can be scrubbed with a vegetable brush and rinsed. No need to use any kind of soap or bleach.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a "Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen" list of produce every year. The 2011 list is available here and also accompanies this article.

For the tree huggers among us, there are concrete environmental benefits to organic farming as well. According to the USDA, organic farm practices have an edge over conventional farming in maintaining and building soil quality, decreasing water contamination, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging biodiversity, conserving energy and water resources, and recycling waste. Even better is buying your organic produce from local farmers, which reduces the environmental impact related to transportation.

But what if you can't afford or find organic produce? Eat fruits and vegetables anyway. According to the EWG and other authoritative sources, the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Strive to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible, but remember that eating conventionally grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

By Beth Lovejoy, on behalf of the Summit Environmental Commission