Fruits & Vegetables That You Should Buy Organic

Choosing organic over conventional produce comes with a host of health benefits, for your body and the environment. Organic agricultural methods avoid the use of harmful chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Growers spend more time and money to produce organic crops, which generally translates to higher prices than those of conventional produce. If exclusively eating organic fruits and vegetables is a stretch for your budget, you can minimize your exposure to harmful chemicals by choosing organic over the most contaminated conventional produce.

Conventional Produce

Conventional agriculture employs pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers to significantly increase its yields. Conventional growers around the world use so many chemicals that herbicides and pesticides are commonly found in rainwater. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that 90 percent of fungicides, 30 percent of insecticides and 60 percent of herbicides are carcinogenic. When consumed, such chemicals accumulate in body fat. Nerve damage, cancer and disrupted fetal brain development have all been linked to pesticides, insecticides and herbicides. Certain chemicals can remain in your body for decades. Washing conventionally grown fruits and vegetables can reduce, but not eliminate, chemical residue.

“Dirty Dozen”

The scientists, policymakers and researchers who make up the Environmental Working Group, put together a list of produce, called the “dirty dozen,” that you should always buy in organic form, if available. After a high-powered wash, these fruits and vegetables still tested positive for between 47 and 67 different chemicals. If you eat five conventionally grown fruits and vegetables from this list each day, you will consume, on average, 10 different pesticides per day. The list includes celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens, cherries, potatoes, imported grapes and lettuce. “The Organic Food Shopper’s Guide” argues that you should also opt for organic when buying carrots, pears and red raspberries.

“Clean Fifteen”

The EWG also came up with a list of conventionally grown produce, called the “clean fifteen,” that has minimal amounts of pesticide, herbicide and insecticide residue, and is therefore considered relatively safe to eat in non-organic form. In some cases, this is because the fruit or vegetable in question has a thick skin or husk protecting the edible portion from chemical exposure. In other cases, growers might not spray a particular type of crop as heavily. The list includes onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mango, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes and sweet onions. Eating five items from this list each day results in an average daily intake of only two distinct pesticides.

Minimizing Exposure

When possible, buy organic fruits and vegetables. If you’re unsure of whether produce is organically grown, check the sticker. Conventionally grown produce has stickers with a four-digit code. Stickers on organic produce contain five-digit codes that start with 9, and stickers on genetically modified produce have five-digit codes beginning with 8.
Wash all fruits and vegetables, whether organic or conventional. Avoid storing your organic produce with any conventionally grown items, as you can contaminate the organic foods. Wash thick-skinned fruits and vegetables, such as cantaloupe, watermelon and avocado, to minimize the amount of chemicals your knife drags into the flesh when you cut them open.