You may be someone who agrees that fruits and vegetables bought in supermarkets are non-organic and are therefore, full of pesticide residues, which can be harmful to our health. Yet you still buy them at supermarkets because, a) it’s more convenient and b) it’s cheaper.
I myself am a culprit of this for the above-mentioned reasons. But thinking about the damage these chemicals can do to your body in the long run, may make you want to reconsider your produce-purchasing choices, at least for some particular fruits and vegetables.
The toxic chemicals in pesticides have been linked to a number of health related diseases such as hormonal imbalances, infertility and even some cancers.
Organic plant foods have higher levels of antioxidant and beneficial plant compounds than their non-organic alternatives.
This may be due to the fact that organic foods are not being stored in cold fridges for months before being sold.
Some fruits and veggies contain more chemical residue than others.
Here is a list from The Environmental Working Group that ranks foods in order from worst to best, regarding the amount of harmful pesticide residue in them.
1. Strawberries (not only do you eat the whole berry, but they are porous as well, which helps to soak up the residue.)
2. Spinach (you can taste the chemical residue in non-organic spinach)
3. Nectarines
4. Apples
5. Peaches
6. Pears
7. Cherries
8. Grapes
9. Celery
10. Tomatoes
However, because I know it’s hard to suddenly go all organic, especially if you have to stick to a budget, you might be able to get away with purchasing these particular fruits and vegetables, that have a much lower account of pesticide residue than others because of a hard or thick outer skin. (Which is usually discarded along with the majority of harmful toxins).
Therefore, it might be worth saving your money, and just buy the following at a supermarket, starting from the cleanest:
1. Avocados
2. Pineapples
3. Cabbage
4. Onions
5. Sweet Peas Frozen
6. Asparagus
7. Mangos
8. Eggplant
9. Honeydew melon
10. Kiwi Fruit
11. Cantaloupe
12. Grapefruit
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Mushrooms
15. Watermelon