3 Fruits and Vegetables You Should Always Buy Organic

Compiled by Liz Kennedy

We all know that a healthy diet should include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. But did you also order a side of pesticides with your produce? Probably not. While you may be resistant to buying organic fruits and veggies because of the cost, or just wondering if it's really worth it, healthwise, there is some produce that's worth the extra money. Each year, the Environmental Working Group identifies its "Dirty Dozen," the 12 fruits and vegetables that contain the highest amount of pesticides, and thus should be purchased as organic whenever possible.

The scariest for me? My favorite fruit, the apple, could contain up to 42 different varieties of pesticides. Many of which may not be able to be eliminated with washing or even peeling.

The top 3 culprits:

1. Celery clocking in with 64 pesticides.
2. Peaches with as many as 62 pesticides.
3.Strawberries, especially out of season, with up to 59 pesticides.

Find out the other 9 fruits and vegetables you should buy organic.

If you can't remember all 12 at the grocery store, a general rule of thumb to go by is the thinner the skin the more likely the fruit or vegetable is to contain a high amount of pesticides. Think apple versus banana. If there are pesticides on the banana they are most likely discarded with the peel, according to Charles Benbrook, technical director of the nonprofit Organic Center for Education & Promotion . If you don't want to risk it, download the "Dirty Dozen" iPhone app, so you always know when to spend a little extra money and reach for the organic label.

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