Pineapple, avocado, eggplant, kiwi, and watermelon: these produce items are generally safe to consume without being organic, because they have little to no trace of pesticides. What do most of these foods have in common? These foods, which are part of the Clean 15 list, have a protective exterior that prevent the absorption of pesticides. On the flip side, there are twelve produce items that have proven to be the most contaminated with pesticide residues. According to the Environmental Working Group, these are the twelve foods to buy organic.
Evidence has shown that selecting organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins you consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent. So, it may be worth spending the extra money to go organic on these twelve produce items.
12 Foods to Buy Organic:
This list, known as the “The Dirty Dozen” list, includes produce that has tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals—some testing positive for as many as 67. You’ll notice that these fruits and vegetables have little to no protective barrier:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Pears
- Grapes (Imported)
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Potatoes
If you think peeling the skin off of a peach, apple, or pear is going to solve the problem, remember that their exteriors are so thin that pesticides can easily seep inside. Washing your fruits and veggies can help reduce the amount of pesticides, but it won’t decontaminate them entirely. Remember that pesticides are sprayed on produce in a liquid chemical form—so freeing your produce from pesticides would be like trying to remove every drop of Lysol you sprayed on a couch. Your safest bet is to buy organic.
To learn more about foods that boost the immune system and chemicals in foods, read our blog.
