Eating fruits and vegetables is essential for a healthy diet, but for most people today, it is still important to be careful. Many of these great foods are grown using toxic pesticides, which can make them quite unhealthy. Even if you wash the outside of the foods well, it is possible that the chemicals have made their way into the food itself. When shopping in your typical grocery store, you will want to focus on foods that are grown using minimal pesticides. Each year foods are analyzed to see which ones are the cleanest after basic washing. The following are the top 15, which means they should be on your shopping list if you’re looking to avoid exposure to toxic chemicals.
15 Cleanest Foods
Avocados
Sweet Corn
Pineapples
Cabbage
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Onions
Asparagus
Mangos
Papayas
Kiwi
Eggplant
Honeydew Melon
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
These foods are all very good for you and offer many significant health benefits. Even non-organic varieties of these foods will typically have relatively minimal levels of pesticides, and with simple washing at home can be quite healthy.
Choosing Organic Fruits & Vegetables
While these foods can be clean even if they aren’t organic, you should always purchase organic if possible. This will help you to reduce further exposure to pesticides that can cause health issues. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown using much more natural pest control methods that don’t put the consumer at as much risk.
Consider Farmer’s Markets
If you want to make sure you’re getting the best quality foods, your best bet is to purchase from a local farmer’s market. This way you can talk directly to the farmers themselves and ask them about what types of pesticides they use on their crops. You’ll find that many farms grow using natural methods, even if they aren’t certified as organic. Taking the time to learn about where your food is grown, and buying local, is an excellent way to ensure you are getting clean foods, even if they aren’t on the above list.
Always Focus on Clean Living
No matter where you get your fruits and vegetables, make sure you are aware of where your foods are grown, and what types of fertilizer and pesticides are used. Also, make sure you verify which foods have made the Dirty Dozen Food list. While it will take a little more effort up front, the health benefits will be well worth the effort down the road.
