5 Contaminated Fruits & Vegetables You Should ALWAYS Buy Organic

You’ve probably heard that organic fruits and vegetables are better for you – and the environment – and you may buy them when you can. But did you know that, organic or not, not all fruits and vegetables are grown the same way? For example, these 5 foods are often heavily contaminated with chemicals, and you should ALWAYS purchase the organic versions.

When shopping for organic foods, you may pop them into your cart whenever they’re on sale or you feel like you can afford them, and then fill the rest up with conventionally grown produce. If your budget doesn’t allow for a fully organic diet, there are some fruits and vegetables which are okay to buy conventionally grown, as they tend not to be as high in pesticide residue. (We’ll cover these in another post soon!)

There are also several fruits and vegetables which are almost always highly polluted with chemical pesticides. In fact, based on USDA sampling, some of these items have been found to be contaminated with more than 45 different pesticide residues! In fact, some of these fruits and vegetables have even been banned by other countries from importation from America due to the chemicals they contain.

If you’re rationing out your organic food budget, be sure to always purchase these 5 foods in their organic forms (or skip them altogether if you can’t afford the organic ones).

1. Apples– Perhaps the most notable inclusion on this list is the apple, considering its reputation as a health food, and the lack of organic apple orchards for that matter. The vast majority of apple orchards remain “conventional,” and yet American apples were recently banned in Europe by regulators.
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2. Peaches– The soft skin of peaches combined with the amount of chemicals they’re treated with could spell serious trouble for your health.

A 2008 study by the PDP found 62 different pesticide residues on conventional peaches; several are considered as neurotoxins and/or known carcinogens. While you can wash some of the residue off much of it remains in the soft flesh and skin of the peach.

3. Nectarines– Similar to peaches with their soft, round shape and orange color, nectarines soak up pesticides like a sponge, making it important to always buy them organic or at the very least to limit consumption.

According to the 2012 EWG report, nectarines actually had the most overall weight of pesticides of any fruit or vegetable, meaning that you’re probably consuming these dangerous carcinogens in every bite and taxing the health of your liver.

4. Strawberries– Pesticides with negative effects on the brain and nervous system have been found in spades on strawberries, with 45 total pesticide residues found by the PDP in 2009.

Organic strawberries are especially pricier but well worth the investment; buy them in season and freeze to save big money.

5. Grapes– The fourth and final fruit on the list, grapes were found to have 56 different pesticide residues in 2010, including four developmental or reproductive toxins linked to fertility problems and even miscarriages.

That means that wine drinkers should be especially careful not overdo it, especially when consuming wine in its non-organic form.

Read more at http://althealthworks.com/4060/the-top-five-pesticide-soaked-fruits-and-vegetables-to-avoid-at-all-costs/.