Too many pesticides, herbicides and fungicides in your food? Try eating organic.

Organic food certification requires that crops and livestock are grown and reared naturally, without artificial fertilisers, synthetic pesticides, chemical feeds, growth-promotion drugs or routine antibiotics.

As a result, organic produce is chemical free, often higher in the nutrients and minerals our bodies requires, and most importantly, tastes better. You can also rest assured that meat derived from free-range and organic farms comes from animals which have lived well.

How to do it now

Buy and eat organic food - Organic food is available everywhere, so check your local shops and supermarket, as well as online. Online organic shops will deliver the good stuff to your home. Try these:

• Abundant Organics - deliver to Sydney Metropolitan area
• Doorstep Organics - delivery to Sydney Metropolitan area
• The Organic Food & Produce Company - deliver to the Sydney Metropolitan area
• Lettuce Deliver - deliver to the Sydney Metropolitan area

The Australian Organic Food Directory can also lead you in the right direction.

Fruits and vegetables where the organic label matters the most - According to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organisation that analyses the results of government pesticide testing in the United Sates of America, the following twelve fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide levels on average. Because of their high pesticide levels when conventionally grown; it is best to buy these varieties as organically grown:

• Apples
• Celery
• Kale
• Peaches
• Capsicum / Peppers
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Pears
• Carrots
• Grapes
• Nectarines
• Strawberry

Non-organic fruits and vegetables with low pesticide levels - These conventionally grown fruits and vegetables were found to have the lowest levels of pesticides. Most of these have thicker skin or peel, which naturally protects them better from pests, and which also means their production does not require the use of as many pesticides.

• Asparagus
• Corn (sweet)
• Onion
• Sweet Potatoes
• Avocado
• Eggplant
• Papaya
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Kiwi
• Pineapple
• Watermelon
• Cabbage
• Mango
• Peas (sweet)

Why this action is important

Eating organic helps to reduce climate change by reducing transport and industrial energy, reducing nitrogen released into the environment (organic farming doesn't use artificial or synthetic fertilisers), and helps minimise salinity and soil loss caused by hard hoofed animals and intensive farming methods. Organic farming has a positive impact on local ecosystems and biodiversity and can even help improve the local environment. Organic food is better for you - try it and taste the difference.

© 2012 Natural Strategies Group Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: We and our content providers ('we') have tried to make the information on this website as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information with the relevant authorities.