In a recent Health Watch, we revealed 5 foods that are a waste of money to buy organic. Their outer layers protect them from pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
But other foods aren’t so safe. And these pesticides you want to avoid at all costs. Even the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) admits how dangerous they are. Some cause cancer. Others disrupt your hormones.1 New research shows they might cause Parkinson’s disease.2
Here are five foods that you’ll need to buy organic to avoid pesticides. And we highly recommend you do because each one has serious health benefits…
1. Apples: It doesn’t get more wholesome than an apple…right? If only that were the case. Ninety-nine percent of non-organic apples have traces of at least one pesticide on them.3 Even if you completely skin your apples, you’re still eating pesticides.4
Why you should eat organic apples: Apples protect your heart. They contain flavonoids that prevent heart disease. Eating one apple a day for four weeks lowers your LDL cholesterol by up to 40 percent.
2. Sweet bell peppers: They add color, flavor, and texture to your dinner. You can even snack on them between meals without feeling guilty. But a single “conventionally grown” bell pepper can have as many as 13 pesticides on it.5
Why you should eat organic peppers: The lycopene in bell peppers can help reduce your risk for heart disease. They also give you more vitamin C per serving than an orange.6
3. Grapes: These tiny treats make a sweet snack. But what isn’t so sweet is that grapes are a major source of chemical additives. You’ll find up to 15 pesticides on a single bunch of grapes.7 But the news gets worse… French researchers found traces of these pesticides in every wine they tested.8
Why you should eat organic grapes: Grapes are a good way to get more polyphenols in your diet. They also help keep your blood pressure under control.
4. Celery: It’s a common diet “trick”… Celery can help keep your cravings between meals at a minimum. But if you aren’t buying organic, it’s doing more harm than good. Like bell peppers, celery can have up to 13 pesticides on it.9
Why you should eat organic celery: It’s a great source of antioxidants. And, did you know celery can help you spice things up in the bedroom?
5. Nectarines (imported): They’re juicy and delicious. But if you’re buying them out of season during colder months, you’re putting your health in danger. Every single imported nectarine tested was contaminated with pesticides.10 Not even one of them was clean!
Why you should eat organic nectarines: Other than being juicy and delicious, eating nectarines give you fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.11
Finding safe, nutritious produce shouldn’t be as difficult as it is. But factory farming makes it harder to know what is healthful and what isn’t. Avoiding the conventional version of these foods is the best way to start cutting the pesticides out of your life and enjoying their many health benefits.
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References:
1 http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/human.htm#useinfo
2 http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/5870/20140204/pesticide-exposure-increases-parkinsons-disease-risk.htm
3 http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/methodology.php
4 http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011/06/Apples-top-list-of-produce-contaminated-with-pesticides/48332000/1
5 Idem
6 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/12-foods-vitamin-oranges/story?id=20729780
7 Id.
8 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-25/french-wine-test-finds-pesticides-in-each-of-92-bottles-analyzed.html
9 Id.
10 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/22/dirty-dozen-foods-list-2013_n_3132788.html#slide=2365940
11 http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-nectarines-1510.html
