Conventional agriculture continues to use large quantities of toxic pesticides. As a result, pesticide residues on much of the fruits and vegetables. Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables that are the most and least contaminated by pesticide use.
The Dirty Dozen (in order of contamination):
– Apples
– Celery
– Sweet Bell Peppers
– Peaches
– Strawberries
– Nectarines
– Grapes
– Spinach
– Lettuce
– Cucumbers
– Blueberries
– Potatoes
The Clean 15 (in order of least contamination):
– Onions
– Sweet Corn
– Pineapples
– Avocado
– Cabbage
– Sweet Peas
– Asparagus
– Mangoes
– Eggplant
– Kiwi
– Cantaloupe
– Sweet Potatoes
– Grapefruit
– Watermelon
– Mushrooms
The list varies from year to year but usually thin-skinned produce like peaches, apples and celery make an appearance. Bananas have never been included (that we know of) thanks in part to their thick, peelable skins which, in theory, minimize pesticide exposure. So the question is, do we or do we not go organic on bananas as well?
Conventional bananas are sprayed with synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. The workers on many conventional plantations are often exposed to these toxins. This leads to a host of health conditions including skin diseases and kidney failure. But are those chemicals really a big deal if you’re just going to peel the skin anyway, right?
The toxins used to grow conventional bananas are not just on the outside. They leach into the soil where the fruit is grown. So even when it’s peeled, you’re still ingesting some of them.
Organic farmers use natural fertilizers like manure and seaweed, and rely on insect predators rather than pesticides to keep pests and weeds at bay.
So there you have it 🙂
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