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Top Ten Fruits and Vegetables To Buy Organic

By Linda Eckhardt on April 27, 2012

Top Ten Fruits and Vegetables To Buy Organic

There’s good news and bad news on the fruit and veg front. The most flavorful, colorful fruits and vegetables that we all know and love, are also favored by our insect relatives. Which means, that for every perfect specimen you see in the supermarket, where the harmful insects have been sprayed into submission, there are alternative ways to source these, the best of the best, in terms of nutrition. And if you are limited to the supermarket, there are ways to ameliorate the harmful possibility of pesticides being conveyed to you.

First, now that farmers’ markets are popping up for the season, try to buy these delicate and delicious produce items there. The farmers will tell you if they’re growing organically, or at least sustainably. Don’t worry if the fruit and vegetables have the occasional hole, or remains of insect life. In most cases, those are far less harmful than the pesticides used to kill them.

Remember that growers use pesticides to give the fruits and vegetables a longer shelf life. What do you care? Buy what you can eat this week. You’ll get the best flavor and the greatest nutrition.

Try growing some of your own food. Grow bags from http://www.gardenersupply.com make it simple to grow things even on a patio or small space. All you need is six hours sunshine. The rest you can supply. Buy good potting soil. Water regularly, and pick off by hand any pests you see.

And don’t forget plain soap and water. A thin drizzle of water with a little detergent will kill and discourage insect pests on home gardens. A fast soak in soapy water will clean fruits and vegetables you bring in from the garden. A quick rinse with clear, cold water does wonders.

Eat and enjoy. Here, in descending order, are the fruits and vegetables you should source organically.

1. Strawberries

2. Celery

3. Peaches

4. Nectarines

5. Apples

6. Blueberries

7. Sweet bell peppers

8. Spinach

9. Kale and Collards

10. Cherries

See, I told you so. All the best fruits and vegetables, the ones with the most flavor, color and nutrition are loved by humans, animals, and insects. Why not. And just remember, insects are probably less harmful to your health than pesticides, any day.

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About Linda Eckhardt

Linda West Eckhardt, is an award winning journalist, food writer, and nutritionist. Her more than 20 cookbooks have garnered prizes including the James Beard prize for the best cookbook for a text she wrote with her daughter, Katherine West DeFoyd, entitled Entertaining 101, Doubleday. Their follow-up book, Stylish One Dish Dinners, Doubleday, was also nominated for a James Beard prize. Their next book, The High Protein Cookbook, Clarkson Potter, remains a best seller after 12 years. That book was designed to accompany low carb diet plans. Her ground-breaking book, Bread in Half The Time, Broadway Books, was named the Best Cookbook in America by the prestigious IACP, The Julia Child award. Her award winning radio work with Jennifer English, for a national show on the Food and Wine radio network, was nominated for a James Beard Prize for a show called, “I Know What You Ate Last Summer.”