Organic Apples Are Healthier
Unfortunately, apples are consistently found to be the most pesticide-contaminated fruits, together with peaches.
In the US and Canada, apples are the most popular fruits and because of the high pesticide residue content they are a health hazard.
Apples are a major source of exposure to organophosphate pesticides, which some studies suggest are linked to decreased intelligence and increased attention deficit disorders in children, and changes in hormone levels for some adults.
Therefore, choosing organic apples can make a big difference in lowering your family’s pesticide exposure.
Organic apples have higher levels of healthy polyphenols and other phytonutrients.
Organic apples also have higher antioxidant capacity than conventionally produced apples.
As to taste, a 2001 study concluded that organic apples were sweeter by blind taste test. Firmness of the apples was also rated higher than those grown conventionally.
So, organic apples are indeed better for you and your family!
Source:
Environmental Working Group. Test Results: Complete Data Set. Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. 4th edition. 2006.
Rauh VA, et al. Impact of Prenatal Chlorpyrifos Exposure on Neurodevelopment in the First 3 Years of Life Among Inner-City Children. Pediatrics. 118(6):e1845-e1859. December 2006.
Meeker, JD, et al. Exposure to Nonpersistent Insecticides and Male Reproductive Hormones. Epidemiology 17(1):61-68. January 2006.
B.A. Stracke et al, Three-Year Comparison of the Polyphenol Contents and Antioxidant Capacities in Organically and Conventionally Produced Apples, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2001.
Weibel, F. P, Bickel, R, Leuthold, S., and Alfoldi, T. Are organically grown apples tastier and healthier? A comparative field study using conventional and alternative methods to measure fruit quality. ISHS Acta Horticulutrae 517(Part 7: Quality of Horticultural Products). 2000.