You know how there’s that list of the dirty dozen in fruits and vegetables? Those are the fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide count. But did you know that coffee beans and cacao beans (chocolate) have some of the highest pesticide count of any foods? This is not only harmful to consumers, but is also harmful to the farmers and villagers that live around the coffee and cacao plantations. These pesticides are also dramatically affecting the rainforests, plant life and animal life.

If you are an avid coffee and chocolate lover, I highly recommend that you switch to organic and fair-trade so that you aren’t putting harmful chemicals into your body, are helping the environment and are supporting the health of the humans, animals and plants that live around these plantations.

Read more about coffee certifications here. Do you drink organic and fair-trade coffee?

Natural & Thrifty in 365 is a year-long series of 365 tips for living more green, natural and healthy while saving money. Do you have a natural and thrifty tip that you would like to share with The Thrifty Mama readers? Contact me here and let me know about it. You just might get featured as one of the 365 tips!