"Pesti" Peaches!

As I sit here eating my last peach for lunch and contemplate a new topic for the upcoming week, it crossed my mind that I haven't yet touched upon organic vs. non-organic when it comes to peaches. Some say a general rule of thumb is you don't need to buy organic if the fruit or veggie has a thick peel/skin that you won't be eating. I think that's OK if your only reason to buy organic is to avoid ingesting any toxins in pesticides. There are also those with strong beliefs that you should buy and eat only organic produce and products. These beliefs stem from the fact that pesticides have been shown to cause significant environmental damage and have contributed to the growing number of food allergies. We could talk all day on the subject and I'm not likely to convince you one way or the other, but on the topic of peaches.....definitely organic!

A 2008 USDA study found that most non-organic peaches headed for U.S. stores are riddled with pesticides. In fact, 5 of the compounds exceeded acceptable EPA levels. Don't be fooled into believing that you are safe if you buy your produce from a farm stand or farmer's market. The produce might be local and fresh, but if it isn't labled as ORGANIC, chances are you are getting more than just the fruit you paid for. Additionally, the study showed that produce grown outside of the United States may contain pesticides that aren't even approved for use in the U.S. Not good my friends.

In short, be aware of what you are buying and how it was grown or produced. In a perfect world we would all have nice big yards and green thumbs and could grow our own organic produce, but since I tend to kill everything I plant...not an option for me. I know organic goods tend to be a bit more expensive, but as I tell my husband "I'm worth it".