Everywhere we turn there is another article, or story, or movie about the effects that pesticides can have on our health and why certain Foods Should Be Organic. The detrimental side effects of pesticides and weed killers, which are sprayed across our produce and contaminate the soil, are astonishing. That is why it’s vital to know the 12 foods you should never cheap-out on. Yes, Organic foods are often a great deal more expensive than those which aren’t. However, certain foods, fruits and vegetables in particular, are especially susceptible to the chemicals companies use to help protect and/or preserve them from the elements, and therefore are always worth the extra dough.
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1. Apples
Apples are one of the most commonly eaten fruits in the Unites States. They are also one of the fruits with the most amounts of pesticides on them in order to keep bugs away. Because the skins of apples are so thin, the chemicals don’t rinse off, but rather seep into the flesh. And then we ingest them!
2. Celery
Celery is grown on the ground and routinely gets doused with various chemicals to prevent both weeds and bugs from taking it over. But all these elements get soaked up inside celery and therefore, end up inside of you! Don’t cheap-out on celery, the extra $.99 you’ll spend on Organic is definitely worth it.
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3. Strawberries
Strawberries are a food that should always be organic. These delicate little fruits, with a rich, sweet smell and bright, thin-flesh. However, it’s not just us humans who love to nibble on them. Pests do too. Farmers obviously don’t want these bugs ruining their crops and so spray loads of pesticides on them, which inevitably ends up in our bodies when we eat them.
4. Peaches
Peaches are another thin-skinned sweet treat that is great to eat, especially during summer time. But bugs love these fruits too, which makes the pesticide use on them come in at very high levels. It’s definitely worth spending a few extra cents for the Organic version to avoid these toxins in your body.
5. Spinach
Spinach, and most leafy-greens for that matter should always be organic. The fact that they are grown on the ground, and not only susceptible to lots of bugs, and the pesticides that are sprayed to keep them away, they are also prone to weed-killers and lots of other chemicals due to the nature of how they are grown.
6. Nectarines (Imported)
Just like peaches, nectarines are thin-skinned and sweet, attracting pests, and therefore farmer’s pesticides. However, imported nectarines are the ones that truly cause concern since foreign regulations on chemical-use are often much more lax than here in the US, meaning that we really don’t know what it is that is being sprayed all over our food. For this reason, buying organic is a must, especially for imported, thin-skinned and delicate produce.
7. Grapes (Imported)
Grapes are another imported fruit that should always be organic. Again, the regulations in other countries are often not as strict as in the US, allowing unapproved substances to be sprayed on our produce that would not otherwise be allowed. Grapes are especially proned to this, due to sweetness of their fruit and the bugs that enjoy it as much as we do.
8. Bell Peppers
Bell Peppers and their thin, delicate skin is extremely prone to pesticide residues and unfortunately doesn’t just hangout on the outside of the skin, but seeps into the flesh of the peppers as well. For this reason, it’s worth spending the extra dough and getting peppers that you know are free from toxins. Plus, they taste much better as well!
9. Potatoes
Grown in the ground, and susceptible to all of the chemicals that are not only sprayed on top of the soil, but that seap into it as well, potatoes are another food that should always be Organic. And while many people peel their potatoes, the fact that the toxins are packed into the soil means that the entire makeup of the potato has such residues built into it. However, sweet potatoes are less prone to such chemcials, although I personally rather play it safe and still buy sweet potatoes that are Organic as well.
10. Blueberries (Domestic)
Blueberries are another extremely delicate fruit that are often doused in pesticides to keep away those annoying bugs. And while rinsing will help remove some of the residues, it doesn’t get rid of it completely, and it certainly doesn’t get rid of the toxins that seep into the flesh. For this reason, blueberries, and all other berries for that matter, should really be one of those foods that you don’t cheap-out on and buy Organic.
11. Lettuce
Just like Spinach, lettuce is another type of produce that should always be organic. Since the whole plant is eaten, there is no getting away from the chemicals that are sprayed on it, even if you do rinse it thoroughly. Thankfully, finding Organic lettuce isn’t too hard to come by and isn’t usually that much more expensive than the traditional stuff.
12. Kale
Known as a superfood, Kale is another leafy-green that should always be organic. All of the pesticides and weed-killers that are used on around this vegetable are toxic and not worth the chance. Why even take the chance of ingesting all those toxins, especially when you are obviously going that extra mile to eat something that’s really good for you?
The fruits and vegetables included on this list of produce that should always be Organic are all thin-skinned and therefore, actually suck up the chemicals that are sprayed onto them, creating a grotesque residue. And while some of these can be peeled in order to get rid of the pesticides, the majority of the vitamins and antioxidants that your body craves is in the skin, and therefore shouldn’t be disposed of anyway. For this reason, it is better to spend an extra dollar or two to ensure that you are not filling your body with a plethora of unknown chemicals and substances, and instead doing the best for your body that you possibly can. I mean, who doesn’t want to live a more healthier lifestyle? Especially if it’s as easy as buying a couple of organic fruits and vegetables every now and again!
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