1.Apples…
The FDA states that more pesticides are found on apples than are found on any other fruit or vegetable — a grand total of 36. One test found seven chemicals on a single apple. Sounds like a good reason to switch to pesticide-free organic produce to me.
Of course, if you do eat apples or any other fruit, use them sparingly and never consume them in the form of fruit juice, which is basically just a glass full of fructose.
No organic? Peel your apples
2.Baby Foods..
An infant’s immune system is less developed than an adult’s, and more vulnerable. Nonorganic baby foods tend to use fruits and vegetables that have been treated with chemicals.
No organic? Make your own purees by tossing organic fruits and vegetables into the blender.
3.Butter and Milk..
Dairy cows eat grains that are heavily treated with chemicals, which show up in the milk. Non-organic milk can also contain bovine growth hormone and antibiotics.
However, RAW milk is nearly always better than organic milk if it is purchased from a conscious farmer. In that case, it may not be certified organic, but it will essentially be organic anyway, and drinking your milk raw is KEY. The linked article should have written loads about this difference, but failed entirely to do so.
4.Cantaloupe…
Cantaloupes often are contaminated by five of the longest-lasting chemicals. Dieldrin, a very toxic and carcinogenic insecticide, still gets taken up through the cantaloupe’s roots even though it was banned in 1974.
No organic? Thoroughly wash the outside of the melon, since a knife can drag exterior residues through the flesh as you slice it.
5.Cucumbers…
Cucumbers were ranked the 12th most contaminated food and the second in cancer risk due to their pesticide content.
No organic? Peel the cucumbers, since the waxes used to make the skin shiny also tend to hold chemicals.
6.Grapes….
Grapes get treated with numerous chemicals, especially Chilean grapes, which can be sprayed with as many as 17 of them. Grapes are also, whether organic or not, especially high in fructose — you might want to consider eating the grape skins and leaving the grape itself alone.
No organic? Search out grapes grown domestically; they are treated with fewer chemicals.
7.Green Beans ..
There are over 60 pesticides that are registered for use on green beans in the U.S.
No organic? Choose fresh beans over canned or frozen. Wash them well.
8.Spinach …..
The chemicals used to treat spinach may cause cancer or interfere with hormone production.
No organic? Vigilantly wash each leaf separately under running water.
9.Strawberries..
Strawberries are among the most contaminated of all produce. Once again, be wary of overdoing it with fructose when you eat fruit.
No organic? Choose local berries over long-distance ones (which generally involve more spraying). The package should say where they’re from, or the supermarket’s produce manager should know.
10.Winter Squash..
Winter squash, like cantaloupe, can absorb dieldrin from the soil.
No organic? Buy Mexican. The soil in Mexico is largely uncontaminated by dieldrin.
Source: Real Simple November 2010
