The story "Sticker Shock" describes many of the local programs working to bridge the gap between poverty and nutrition (read the full story here). Even with all these programs, organic and pesticide-free fruits and vegetables are still going to be out of the budget of many Portlanders (organic vs. conventional price comparison). For those people, learning which foods are the most—and least—contaminated can help. Christine Horner, M.D., a Taos-based expert on natural foods, gave us her suggestions.

“You can familiarize yourself with which foods have the highest and lowest content of pesticide residue,” Dr. Horner said. “Celery is considered one of the worst, for instance, but asparagus is great. If you wash and peel your food carefully, you can eliminate as many pesticides as you possibly can. Remember, eating conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are still going to be better than eating processed foods with nearly zero nutritional value.”

In a 2006 study, the Environmental Working Group found that shopping wisely could help consumers reduce the amount of pesticides in their diets by 90%. The organization issued a list of the “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables, which found peaches and apples to be the most pesticide-ridden. Others on the list included sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes.

On the “Consistently Clean” list were onions, avocados, corn, pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and papaya—unfortunately, mostly foods grown in warmer climates than the Northwest.

With Portland staples like apples, cherries, potatoes, and greens on the bad list, it’s important to know how to clean and prepare them to eliminate residues if you’re not able to buy organic versions. Washing and peeling is effective with some foods (including peaches and apples), as most of the pesticide does not penetrate the skin; with others, such as squash and potatoes, chemical residue is found throughout.

Dr. Horner suggests going on the Internet for more information on which foods are best, and how to prepare them to make them safer. One place to start is at Earth Easy:

www.eartheasy.com/eat_pesticides_produce.htm

The Environmental Working Group has also made free wallet-sized cards called the “Shoppers’ Guide to Pesticides in Produce.” To download and print a copy:

www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

-Kevin Allman