Buying organic food hurts your wallet but so does a one-way ticket to Jamaica or a new snowboard. So I buy organic fruits and vegetables randomly or until my money is burnt. Good news: there’s no difference in buying organic or conventional when it comes to certain foods. So learn when it’s worth to pay extra for organic!

The American Environmental Working Group published an annual report on the testing of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and insecticides in veggies and fruits.  The group analyzes Department of Agriculture data about pesticide residue and ranks foods. They estimate that Organic Gangsters can reduce pesticide exposure by 80% if switched to organic when sticking to the list (print and cut out!):

Note that this is an American list; there’s no data know about other countries. In the dirty dozen category, two new veggies are added in 2012, namely kale and green beans. You should always buy the foods in the left section organic, because of the high pesticides rate. When it comes to mushrooms, avocado and the other fruits and vegetables in the right section: save your dough for the weekend and go for conventional. Off course  never ever buy GMO foods, unless you want to support Monsanto. Tip: look at the PLU-codes on fruits in the grocery store. The ones that start with 4 are traditionally produced, a 9 means organic and codes that start with a 8 are genetically modified.

Source: Foodnews