The Scariest Foods You Must Buy Organic

Save Money by Focusing on Just the Dirty Dozen

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30 Days to Green Your Diet - Spend your organic dollars on these foods.

Photo: Michal Karbowiak / Istock

By Deborah Barrow

30 Days to a Greener Diet - Day 4

Not all foods are equally pesticide-poisoned.

There are some nonorganic foods that you can safely eat because they are not subjected to the worst of the pesticide and hormone drenching. And with proper washing of your produce (which you should do with organics too), you can get rid of some — but not all — of the pesticide residue.

Our list of foods you should definitely buy organic — the dirty dozen — consists of items that retain more pesticides or are typically laced with hormones and antibiotics. Studies have shown children who eat organic diets have lower levels of certain pesticides in their bodies. And while the jury is still out on antibiotics from dairy products and meat and their effect on humans, today there’s no need to be the guinea pig while "they" do the long-term research to figure it out.

We know organics can be expensive, but you can start here by limiting your organic dollars to the worst food offenders. So relax, take a look at the list and, for the near term, focus your organic dollars on these foods.

Check out The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic.