The Felicitous Five

In part one, we delved into P3: Pesticide-poisoned produce, as defined by the Environmental Working Group. We’ll now talk about the produce that your health – and that of your wallet’s – can afford to buy, as these fruits and vegetables aren’t so packed with soil-destroying chemicals. They’re what I like to call “The Felicitous Five.”

Onions

Though they’re not exactly the best breath freshener, they’re exceptionally fresh and clean of pesticides, clocking in with a one on the pesticide load list (remember, the lower the score, the better it is in overall cleanliness of pesticides).   Good thing, too, as onions are comparable to apples in quercetin content (quercetin is a flavonoid known for its anti-cancer and heart health properties), and may help prevent osteoporosis.

Avocados

The only fruit with a healthy dose of monounsaturated fat, avocados match onions in pesticide freedom (scoring one on the overall pesticide load list).  In fact, according to the EWG, avocados were the most likely fruit not to have even a trace of pesticide residue!  How ‘bout them apples?

Corn

Perhaps the most plentiful vegetable in America today (if you drive through the midsection of the country, you’ll understand why I say this), it’s not so plentiful in pesticide count (two on the pesticide load list).  And while corn is not the most nutritious of vegetables in my book (it scores pretty high on the glycemic index), it’s still a worthy selection for eye and heart health, whether the nibblets are frozen or off the cob (the Environmental Working Group tested frozen corn nibblets).

Pineapple

In a distant fourth (seven on the pesticide load list) is one of the few healthy selections you’ll find on the typical Szechuan restaurant menu list:  pineapple.  Exclusive to Hawaii in U.S. production, they’re one of a select number of foods containing the enzyme bromelain.  Bromelain’s anti-inflammatory prowess makes pineapple a wonder fruit for improving digestion and immune system function (bromelain’s often been used as a natural treatment for muscle injuries).

Mangoes

Rounding out The Felicitous Five is another tropical fruit – though indigenous to India – the mango.  Mangoes scored a nine on the EWG’s pesticide load list, but score a “10” in nutrient content:  High in vitamins A, B and C, and minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron.  One other thing about mangoes:  On a per day basis, they’re the most widely consumed fresh fruit in the world.  Maybe that’s why they’re called the “King of Fruits.”

Other noteworthy produce selections include asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, and cabbage.  After that, the pesticide load starts to get pretty high (in the 20 range).

In case you’re curious, the EWG’s methodology was based on six criteria, like the percentage of samples with pesticide residue, percentage of samples with more than just pesticide residue (e.g. multiple pesticides found when examined), and the total number of pesticides found on a sample.

So there you have it – The five best fruits to buy when you can’t afford to buy the best (i.e. organic).  In a perfect world, we’d all buy organically.  But given the state of affairs, and prices being what they are, these are your best bets when hitting the traditionally-grown produce section.

>> Click Here for Traditionally Grown Part 1

Sources
sciencedaily.com
sweetfreshcorn.com
foodnews.org
worldhealth.net
sundiafruit.com