So you want to buy organic without breaking the bank? If you're not able to buy all organic produce, you can pick and choose to maximize health benefits. In general, fruits and vegetables with thin, edible skins will pass on more pesticides and herbicides to the consumer. Those with thick, removable skins pose fewer health risks, while wax coatings can make it more difficult to remove surface pesticide residue. It also helps to know which crops are the most pesticide-intensive.
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The next time you're doing your shopping, put these fruits and veggies at the top of your priority list for buying organic:
Apples: These crisp fruits of fall are often featured in the USDA's top 10 list of contaminated fruits. Apples are sprayed with pesticides several times per season. Even after peeling and coring, a conventionally-grown apple contains detectable levels of multiple pesticides.
Cherries: In order to keep worms at bay, cherries are sprayed heavily.
Imported Grapes: When consumers buy grapes from other countries out of season, they unwittingly ingest a host of pesticides that have been banned in the United States.
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