12 foods to eat only if they're organic

12. Potatoes
Potato fields are sterilized before planting with a soil fumigant that kills all of the soil microbes and nematodes. When the potato "eyes" are planted, a systemic insecticide is sprayed over the fields to kill any bugs that may eat the sprouts. A month or so after that, the first herbicide is applied to kill any weeds hardy enough to grow. Because most of the soil nutrients have been eliminated, synthetic fertilizers are drippled into the potato rows every week, like an IV drip of chemical nutrients. Midgrowth, many potato fields are sprayed yet again with the highly toxic organophosphate Monitor to kill aphids, potato beetles and other insects. Finally, to control blight before harvest, potato plants receive successive sprayings of a fungicide containing mefenoxam and clorothalonil, both acute toxins. Given this chemically intensive growth cycle, it's not surprising that a majority of potatoes, especially Russets, test positive for multiple pesticide residues.

Related content:
• Pesticides and your health: How to cut your exposure
• The top 25 healthy fruits
• Food and the environment: Make your grocery shopping greener

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Editor's note: While the book To Buy or Not To Buy Organic, from which we excerpted here, is aimed at a US market, we felt that the information was still relevant to Canadians, especially as so much produce in our stores is imported from the United States. Please let us know in the comments if you are aware of any ways in which the Canadian situation differs from what is given above.

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Excerpted from To Buy or Not To Buy Organic, copyright 2007 by Cindy Burke. Used by permission of Avalon Publishing Group.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.