Is buying organic fall season fruits necessary? There are so many questions and so much confusion when it comes to buying organic fruits. Is all organic fruit created equal? Do all fruits have lots of pesticide residue, or is it only some types of fruit? The list of questions could go on and on.
We can’t blame people for the confusion and lack of understanding about buying organic produce. There is too much conflicting information regarding organic produce. Is it worth paying the extra money?
To put it in simple terms, buying organic fruit is always going to be your best bet. It is a sure way to avoid pesticides, GMOs and getting more sustainable options.
However, there are some fruits you always need to buy organic. And of course, there are other fruits you don’t necessarily need to buy organic.
Some fruits contain little to no pesticides when tested in a lab, even if they are conventional (meaning non-organic.)
Below are the fall seasons fruits that you must always buy organic to avoid pesticides, herbicides, and other nasty chemicals that can be lurking inside and outside your fruit.
We will also take a brief peek at some of the fall season fruits you don’t need to buy organic if you are trying to be conscious of money and stick to a weekly food budget.
Apples, Fall Season Fruits
Apples are a staple fruit for the fall season. Apple pies, apple turnovers, apple butter – the apple possibilities are endless. With apple picking in the orchards, fun and everyday fall activity, or buying fresh local apples at the store, you will likely be eating many of them.
But it is best if you buy organic apples to avoid pesticide residue. This is because conventional apples are grown with pesticides. They contain 99% pesticide residue, even if you pick them in person or get them from the store. Washing the apples is good, but it will not help remove contaminants. The apple skin is fragile, and the pesticides can seep through the skin and into the flesh of the apples itself.
Grapes
Grapes are another delicious fall fruit, and they tend to be as sweet as candy during the autumn season. Conventional grapes typically carry over 15 different kinds of pesticides. Therefore, buy them organic.
Cranberries
Cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, and cranberry relish are a shortlist of the different cranberry foods we eat in the fall. However, according to the USDA Pesticide Data Program, conventional cranberries contain many pesticides compared to their organic counterparts. Studies found as many as 13 different kinds on conventionally grown cranberries.
The human health side effects of the cranberries’ pesticides ranged from cancer-causing, hormone-disrupting, neurotoxic, and developmental and reproductive toxins.
Pears, Fall Season Fruits
Common pesticides in conventional pears include fungicides and insecticides. According to pesticide detection, testing found 49 different pesticide traces, even after the pears were washed and cleaned.
Ultimately it is your choice, but we recommend being very careful when choosing between organic and non-organic.