5 Foods You Should Buy Organic

By Wyatt Myers Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

To guide people shopping for produce, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a new list of "dirty dozen" fruits and vegetables each year. Simply put, these are the fruits and vegetables that have the most pesticide contamination based on the EWG's analysis of more than 89,000 laboratory tests. Considering this, they are also the foods that you might want to put on your organic shopping list.

1. Celery

This veggie is not the richest in vitamins and minerals, but it still has value as a low-calorie, high-water content snack that fills you up without bulking you up. Carla Fynan, RD, a nutritionist at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., recommends adding peanut butter for a bit of protein and healthy monounsaturated fat. Rinsing and scrubbing celery may help somewhat, but celery's thin skin lets pesticides penetrate all the way through, so you're really better off choosing celery from the organic fruits and vegetables section of your grocer. Non-organic alternatives include broccoli, radishes, and onions.

2. Peaches

This sweet, delicious fruit is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. It also has a laxative and cleansing effect on the bowels and is easy for the elderly to digest, says Marvin Kunikiyo, DC, author of the natural health book, Revolutionizing Your Health. You can peel peaches to rid them of some pesticides, but that does away with valuable nutrients, and the skin is so thin that many pesticides penetrate the fruit anyway. Therefore, organic food is really the best choice for this member of the dirty dozen. Non-organic alternatives: watermelon, oranges, grapefruit.

3. Strawberries

With their rich color and delicious flavor, strawberries are positively teeming with antioxidants, including vitamins A and C. Fynan says they are also low in calories and great with any number of dishes (salads and cereals) or on their own. You can't peel a strawberry and rinsing doesn't do much, so spending a few dollars for the organic food version is a good idea. Non-organic alternatives: kiwi, pineapples.

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4. Apples

You might think that peeling an apple would be the best way to rid it of pesticides, but that peel is a treasure trove of valuable nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and an antioxidant called quercetin. Instead, rinse and scrub the apple thoroughly or buy organic food to ensure avoiding contaminants from this member of the dirty dozen. Non-organic alternatives: bananas, tangerines.

5. Blueberries

These tiny berries are antioxidant powerhouses, with a higher antioxidant level than any other fruit or vegetable according to studies. Unfortunately, up to 13 different pesticides have been detected on a single sample of non-organic blueberries, says Amy Hess-Fischl, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator on staff at the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. Choose organic blueberries even if you're on a limited budget when you buy organic food. Non-organic alternative: raspberries.

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