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There are a lot of fruits and vegetables that are grown without pesticides and chemicals. But there are also some that you should try to buy organic when possible. Why? Because they tend to have higher levels of pesticides than others.
Here are 10 fruits and vegetables you should always buy organic:
Apples
Celery
Bell peppers
Nectarines (imported)
Strawberries (imported)
Peaches (imported)
Blueberries (domestic or imported)
Spinach
Sweet bell peppers (not hot peppers)
Red raspberries
If you’re trying to eat organic, you probably know that fruits and vegetables are the best place to start.
Organic produce is grown without pesticides or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It’s also more likely to be grown locally. You can find produce year-round at farmers markets, and there are also some great online options for buying organic produce.
If you’re trying to figure out which fruits and vegetables are worth buying organic, here are some tips:
Apples: Apples are one of the most heavily sprayed fruits in the U.S., so choose organic if you can find them. They’re also frequently genetically modified (GM) — unless they’re labeled as non-GMO — so you’ll want to buy those organic as well. If there’s no label on your apples, they may be GM.
Avocados: Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Plus they’re packed with fiber, vitamins K and E, folate and potassium — all good things! However, avocados aren’t always labeled as organic because they don’t absorb pesticides easily
The Environmental Working Group has a handy guide to which fruits and vegetables you should buy organic. They also have a list of the “dirty dozen” — produce that’s been shown to have the highest levels of pesticides.
Here are some of the things you should buy organic:
Apples
Bell peppers
Blueberries
Celery
Cherries (imported)
Cucumbers
Grapes (imported)
Nectarines (imported)
Peaches (imported)
Potatoes (white or sweet)
Spinach/lettuce/kale/cabbage/broccoli/brussels sprouts (preferably from local sources)
There’s no question that buying organic fruits and vegetables is better for you than buying conventionally grown produce. Organic foods are free from pesticides and other chemicals. They’re also more nutritious because they’re grown in soil that’s full of nutrients and free from chemicals used to kill bugs and weeds.
But there’s more to it than just the food itself. The way the food is grown can make a big difference in your health — especially if you’re pregnant, nursing or have children.
If you’re concerned about pesticides on your food, here are some guidelines to follow:
Buy organic apples, avocados, bell peppers, blueberries, carrots, cherries, kale, nectarines (imported), peaches (imported), pears (imported), potatoes, raspberries (imported), spinach and strawberries (domestic). These foods have been found to have the highest levels of pesticide residue by the Environmental Working Group’s 2016 report on pesticide use in produce.
Buy conventional bananas, kiwis and mangoes. The EWG report found that these fruits had very low levels of pesticides compared with other fruits.
Buy conventional citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit because they tend not to absorb much pesticide
Many people believe that organic foods are more nutritious. But there’s no evidence to support this.
The only difference between organic and conventionally produced foods is that organic certification rules prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics. Organic foods are not genetically modified; they must be grown without genetic manipulation.
Organic produce is often claimed to be pesticide-free, but that’s not always true. In 2017, researchers at Stanford University tested 286 samples of fresh produce from grocery stores in San Francisco and Los Angeles and found that nearly all contained traces of at least one type of pesticide — even though most were labeled “pesticide-free.” The researchers also found that organic fruits and vegetables sometimes had more pesticides than conventional ones.
If you’re worried about pesticides on your food, wash it thoroughly before eating or cooking with it. If you’re still concerned about pesticide residue after washing, you can use a vegetable wash made from vinegar and baking soda or lemon juice (lemon juice also helps prevent browning).
There are plenty of foods that you should never buy organic. But there are also some fruits and vegetables that you should always buy organic.
These include:
Apples
Strawberries
Nectarines
Grapes
Bell Peppers
Potatoes (except for sweet potatoes)
Blueberries
Lettuce (unless it’s from your own garden or a local farmer)
Celery (unless it’s from your own garden or a local farmer)
Cherries (unless they’re frozen)
There are many foods that are grown with pesticides and other chemicals. In fact, the Environmental Working Group found that 93 percent of all conventional produce is contaminated with pesticide residue. That’s why it’s important to buy organic versions when possible.
What fruits and vegetables should you buy organic?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has created a list of the “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables that you should always buy organic because they tend to be the most contaminated with pesticides. These include:
Apples
Celery
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers
Grapes (imported)
Nectarines (imported)
Peaches (imported)
Potatoes (white)
Spinach
Strawberries
If you’re buying organic produce, you might be wondering what fruits and vegetables need to be organic. The answer depends on the type of food. Some crops, like spinach and strawberries, are more likely to absorb pesticides than others, so they’re a good bet for buying organic. Other foods don’t always need to be organic, but there’s no harm in choosing them that way.
Here’s a guide to the produce that may need to be bought organically.
If you’re not sure whether a fruit or vegetable needs to be organic or not, it’s best to check before you buy. You can find information about whether specific foods are grown using pesticides by searching for “organic” on the Environmental Working Group’s Pesticide Database (ewg.org/foodnews). The database also lists which fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of pesticides and which have none at all.
Fruits and vegetables that need to be organic:
Apples
Apricots
Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Blueberries (domestic)
Broccoli (domestic)
Cabbage (domestic)
Carrots (domestic)
Cauliflower (domestic)
Cherries (domestic)
Collard greens (domestic)
Corn, sweet (domestic)**Corn, white**Cucumbers**Eggplant**Figs**Grapefruit**Kale**Mangos**Nectarines**Oranges**Pears**Peppers, bell **Raspberries **Spinach **Strawberries **Sweet potatoes/yams* (domestic)*The Environmental Working Group commissioned independent laboratory tests on 20 sweet potato samples. One sample tested positive for a low level of imazalil. Imazalil is a fungicide used in the orchard and packing house that is banned in some countries but still allowed in the U.S. It’s not currently used as a pre-harvest treatment for sweet potatoes in California or Texas.
If you’re buying organic, you’re making a commitment to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals. But just because something is organic doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has developed an extensive list of fruits and vegetables that are most likely to have detectable pesticide residues. For example, more than 98 percent of strawberries and nearly 90 percent of nectarines tested positive for residue. The EWG also provides tips on how to reduce your exposure to pesticides if you can’t buy all organic produce.
Here’s what they recommend:
Buy organic lettuce, spinach and kale if they’re not organically labeled; these greens may be contaminated with pesticides even if they’re not on the Dirty Dozen list.
Buy organic apples, celery, grapes and sweet bell peppers if they aren’t organically labeled; these fruits and vegetables may be contaminated with pesticides even if they aren’t on the Dirty Dozen list.