You can control the amount of pesticides that invade your body by paying attention to how you purchase your fruits and veggies.  The Environmental Working Group has put together a list to help shoppers buy produce with the least amount of pesticides present.  The lists below shows the top 12 foods with high levels of pesticides which should be bought from the organic section and the top 15 which are lowest in pesticides and do not necessarily need to be organic.

Dirty Dozen – Buy These Organic

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes

Clean 15 – Lowest in Pesticides

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

Print out this list for your next grocery visit and remember that calories should not be the only concern next time you are filling the cart.  The organic section can be a bit pricier, but it’s a small price to pay to stay clear of known toxins.

Check out EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides for more information.

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The World Health Organization says a person needs 30 grams a day to maintain health. This is a MINIMUM daily requirement, your body functions much more efficiently with a higher intake.
                                                                                                                                                                         Well then, how much should a person be eating? This will vary depending on your weight and activity level, but in general 100 grams or more a day is a good baseline. Heavier individuals and athletes may require even more, up to 1 gram per pound of body weight a day! This can be difficult to achieve. A full pound of ground beef has roughly 80 grams of protein in it. How many people eat even that much? Well, I do, but that is a whole other story. I find it easiest to eat a good portion of meat with every meal, and supplement with protein powders.
                                                                                                                                                                    So what sources are the best? Animal products provide by far the most complete and bio available proteins. As a benefit, wild caught fish and grass fed animals are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is possible to get enough protein from plant sources, but it is much more difficult. Non-animal proteins include rice, quinoa, yellow pea, and soy. However, many people now suggest you stay away from soy, as it can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption.
Diet is the foundation of health. If you aren’t giving your body the basic components it needs to function, any number of problems can arise. So, as Hanna Kroeger used to say, “Eat your meat!”

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This is a great resource to use when writing your grocery list, planning dinner, or to help you choose healthier alternatives to improve your lifestyle.  What we put into our bodies everyday is important in order to give us sufficient nutrients so that we can perform at the highest level at whatever we are doing.  Take advantage of having a website such as this to help us make those healthier decisions at the grocery store and in your everyday life.

One of the features I really like is the nutrient search tool, which allows you to search for foods that contain or are high in certain nutrients and are low in other nutrients.  Another interesting feature is the tracking software which you can use to track your intake and help you attain your goal whether it is to eat healthier, incorporate more of a specific nutrient into your diet or weight loss.

Take a look around the site and see how you can benefit from knowing what you are eating and how you can improve your daily intake.

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