There are many reasons to buy organic produce but the two that are the most important (to me) when it comes to feeding my precious boy are:
To avoid Pesticides, additives, antibiotics or other chemical residue in foods
After reading numerous books on baby nutrition I was pretty convinced that choosing organic fresh produce was the way to go. I always buy organic when choosing fruit and vegetable from ‘The Dirty Dozen’ (list below). I do believe however in a well balance diet with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables so if I can’t find a particular organic food then I’m not obsessive about it. I purchase organic frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and mango cheeks from my local organic store to have on hand. Also when I’m aware of a particular fruit/vege going out of season, such as apples, which top the dirty dozen list, I will buy a few kilos, purée and freeze in ice-cube trays . See example post here.
The Dirty Dozen list below indicates fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide load. The Clean 15 are the fruits and vegetable with the least pesticide load.
| The Dirty Dozen | The Clean 15 |
|---|---|
| Apples | Onions |
| Strawberries | Sweet corn |
| Grapes | Pineapples |
| Celery | Avocado |
| Peaches | Cabbage |
| Spinach | Sweet peas |
| Sweet Bell Peppers / Capsicum | Asparagus |
| Nectarines | Mangoes |
| Cucumber | Eggplant |
| Potato’s | Kiwi |
| Cherry Tomato | Cantaloupe / Rockmelon |
| Hot Peppers | Sweet potatoes |
| Plus | Grapefruit |
| Kale/collard greens | Papayas |
| Summer squash | Mushrooms |
Organic farming
Organic Farming is kinder to animals. Animals raised organically are not given any growth-regulting drugs, steroids, hormones or antibiotics. They are free to range, live in a healthier environment and are less likely to be subjected to cruelty. They are fed organic feed with a wide range of nutrients.
Be aware that in Australia anyone can use the term “organic”. To be certain you are buying truly organic produce look for the certified organic label. The logos below are the 7 organic certifying organisations in Australia approved by the AQIS.
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