There are some fruits and veggies that I believe are mandatory to at least buy organic. To name the top ones: Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, apples, peaches, nectarines, all lettuces, green leafy vegetables, bell peppers and tomatoes. These are heavily laced with pesticides that you cannot wash away. Zucchini and potatoes are GMO usually, unless they are organic. Cucumbers can be high in pesticides, too. So if you cannot get organic, at least peel the skins on them. If what you buy for home is always organic, then eating non-organic when you go out, you have done your body a great service.
We don’t know exactly what the long-term effects on our health from a lifetime of eating pesticide-ridden produce. Have you ever heard of “glyphosate”? Google it and read about it. Here is one link: https://khn.org/news/popular-weed-killers-alleged-link-to-cancer-spreads-concern/.
Here are a few things it has been linked to:
From this web page: https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/pesticide-gateway?pesticideid=37
Health and Environmental Effects
- Cancer: Yes (6, 70)
- Endocrine Disruption: Yes (7)
- Reproductive Effects: Yes (13, 8)
- Neurotoxicity: Not documented
- Kidney/Liver Damage: Yes (7)
- Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (8)
- Birth/Developmental: Not documented
- Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
- Potential Leacher: Not documented
- Toxic to Birds: Not documented
- Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Yes (4)
- Toxic to Bees: Not documented
So please be smart about protecting your health in this simple way by buying organic produce over commercial whenever you can. It really is not that much more expensive if you shop around for the best prices at natural grocery stores.