Choosing organic fruits and vegetables can help you reduce your exposure to chemicals and pesticides used with conventionally grown produce. Organic produce must be USDA certified to have the word "organic" appear on the label. Unfortunately, organic fruits and vegetables are more expensive. If you are on a budget, you can use the guide developed by the Environment Working Group, or EWG, to determine which are the 10 most contaminated fruits and vegetables that are worth buying organic.
Top 5 Fruits
If you want to avoid pesticides, avoid buying the conventional version of the fruits that are the most contaminated. Spending a few extra bucks for the fruits containing the highest amount of pesticide residues is money well spent. Buy organic strawberries, peaches, imported grapes, blueberries and apples, as recommended by the EWG's "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," because these fruits have the highest levels of pesticide residues. Strawberries and blueberries easily absorb pesticides, and washing them may not be enough. Pesticides can get stuck in the tiny hairs on a peach's skin and be difficult to wash away. The wax used on apples traps pesticides. Buying organic is the safest option with these fruits.
Top 5 Vegetables
Similarly, the EWG determined which are the vegetables that are the most contaminated by pesticides. The top five include celery, spinach, red bell peppers, potatoes and lettuce. If you regularly consume these vegetables, go for the organic version to prevent introducing more chemicals into your body. Other leafy greens, such as kale and collard greens are also highly contaminated and buying the organic version will help you decrease your exposure to pesticides. These vegetables contain more pesticide residues because more pesticides are used to grow them. Moreover, several of these vegetables, such as celery and leafy greens, are difficult to wash and brush thoroughly.
Cleaner Fruits
The guide from the EWG also lists the six fruits that are the least contaminated. Buying organic may not be worth it in the case of pineapples, mangoes, cantaloupe, kiwi, watermelon and grapefruit because even the conventionally grown contain low levels of pesticides. These fruits have a thick peel or outer layer that keeps the pesticides on their skin and away from their flesh that is eaten. Keep your money to buy the organic version of the most contaminated fruits to get the most benefit for your money.
Cleaner Vegetables
Onions, sweet corn, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, eggplant, cabbage, sweet potatoes and mushrooms all have very low levels of pesticides. These vegetables are the cleanest and you can safely buy the regular version without worrying about the chemicals they may contain. Farmers use less pesticide to grow these vegetables, which is why they have less pesticide residue. Wash your produce under running water to remove remaining traces of pesticides and remove the skin of onions, sweet potato and avocado to decrease the likelihood of consuming residual pesticides.
