fruits

Join the Philadelphia Orchard Project in partnership with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia for Petal Pedal – a scenic bike tour though Fairmount Park stopping by 4 of POP’s 61 community orchards! Beginning by the Art Museum, the Bicycle...

These days it seems everyone from Gwyneth to your Dad is pushing the benefits of fresh juice. Perhaps you've tried a juice cleanse yourself or maybe you are on the other end of the spectrum and the sight of the "green stuff" makes you ill. I'm certainly not a health care professional nor a dietitian but what I've found when it comes to juicing is... moderation is key. (Duh?!) Here are 5 reasons to get your juice on, plus why too much of a good thing ain't always a good thang.

It finally feels like spring! The warmer weather has my body craving seasonal fruits and veggies that feel like a treat after the long winter. You really can get delicious produce in the Philadelphia region that doesn’t have a ridiculous carbon footprint. (New Jersey tomatoes anyone? ) Here’s some of what’s in season in the Northeast for Spring:

Now that we've revealed the Dirty Dozen, it's time to reveal the "Clean 15", or produce that's OK to buy non-organic. Most often, fruits & veggies that have "thick skins" tend to be safe for consumption. Here they are, ranked starting from lowest in pesticides:

57% of women believe that organic food is better for them, but only 26% will go out of their way to buy it, finds New Hope Natural Media. When you're strolling through the grocery store, it's easy to see that Organic costs more. But people who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits & veggies consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. You don't have to buy everything organic, but here's the 'Dirty Dozen" of fruits that you should buy organic, ranked from worst to bad: