Do you want to eat clean or dirty? Your pick.

04 Mai Do you want to eat clean or dirty? Your pick.

There are so many articles claiming that organic foods are nutritiously so much better than conventional foods. But in fact, studies show that there is not that big of a difference in nutrients between organic foods and conventional foods. Organic foods are not better because of what it contains, but rather, what it does not, such as synthetic herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, fertilisers or bioengineered genes. Eating organically doesn’t necessarily equate to a healthier diet in a nutrition perspective, but rather in an environmental perspective. The continuation of organic farming poses incredible benefits to the environment. It could prevent pest problems, it could reduce groundwater pollution, it could even mitigate greenhouse effects. These are all very severe issues that the agricultural industry is currently facing.

So what could you do as a consumer? Luckily, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization, has come up with two lists of foods – ‘Clean Fifteen’ and ‘Dirty Dozen’ – that list out foods with the highest and lowest amount of pesticides. EWG gives guidance on ways to limit exposure to pesticides, as well as to help you through your struggles to be a more environment-friendly shopper. They share interesting facts about each crop mentioned in the list and even have a full report with detailed analysis on the website about how reduced use of pesticides lead to multiple benefits.

So to be a person who is more environmentally friendly or not? To be a shopper who is more considerate about your food choices or not? It is all up to you.