When trying to follow healthy eating plans, choosing to buy organic can be an important step. Organic foods and drinks are better for you because they are safer for consumption. For something to qualify as organic, it must be grown without the use of pesticides, synthetics, radiation, and genetic modifications. That means that organic products are much less likely to introduce chemicals and potentially dangerous agents into your body.

Of course, living a healthy lifestyle that includes organic food can be expensive and challenging. Not all foods are easily found in an organic variety.

If going completely organic isn’t feasible for you, just watch out for these foods that are known for being especially unsafe to eat when not produced organically:

1. Peaches
Tender, soft, and juicy, peaches are a favored fruit. They are also beloved by many bugs and pests, though. That’s why many peaches are sprayed with pesticides when they are being grown. Since peaches are very susceptible to holding pesticides within their fibers, non-organic peaches are likely to contain some amount of the chemicals. As a result, peaches should be enjoyed organically.

2. Apples
Like peaches, apples are classically appealing to pests. Apple peels are also known for holding on to pesticides. Even once washed thoroughly, many apples will retain pesticide residue, sometimes even in large quantities. Experts argue that since organic apples are not much more expensive than nonorganic varieties, buying organic apples is feasible for most people. Further, theory suggests that the more people buying organic apples, the more farmers will be able to sustainably grow apples organically.

3. Celery
Sometimes grown in synthetic fertilizers, celery gets a double dose of non-organic risk when it is also sprayed with pesticides. This combination of non-organic chemicals can be avoided simply by buying and consuming organic celery instead in your healthy eating plan.

4. Cherries
Although cherries seem like a touch, strong fruit (and are great for helping to make your immune system stronger) they are also susceptible to retaining pesticide residue even after being washed. Domestic cherries are more likely to be sprayed with heavy pesticides than imported cherries. If you can’t find organic cherries easily, look for imported ones.

5. Blueberries
Like cherries, apples, or peaches, blueberries are a fruit that many pests find to extremely tasty. So, they are sprayed with pesticides too. Blueberries are still sometimes safe to consume if washed very thoroughly before consumption.

6. Tomatoes
Available in many different varieties, tomatoes in general are prone to inviting pests and being destroyed by insects. Famers use pesticides on many different types of tomatoes as a preventative measure. Cherry tomatoes are considered the most affected by pesticide residue and are the most frequently and heavily sprayed.

7. Cucumbers
Although they may not seem like a susceptible vegetable (or fruit, depending on your stance on the matter) cucumbers are also regularly sprayed with pesticides on domestic farms. The cucumber’s waxy skin holds residue from pesticides as well. Even when thoroughly scrubbed, cucumbers are risky to consume when grown inorganically. You can peel their skin off in hopes to remove most of the residue, but pesticide chemicals can at times reach through the layers of skin. Beware, and buy this tasty food organic.

8. Strawberries
Hold a strawberry in your hand and you will immediately notice the unique texture of the fruit. Its many small pits and granules make for plenty of space for pesticide residue to hide out. In fact, even when washed, many inorganic strawberries feel waxy due to the pesticide coating that is so hard to remove. Since strawberries are sometimes grown in synthetic fertilizers as well, there is much to be wary of when consuming this fruit unless it has been grown organically.

9. Spinach
A vulnerable vegetable in the first place, spinach is delicate and is easily damaged or wilted. It’s no surprise that many farmers bolster the delicate leaves by protecting them with plenty of pesticide and even synthetic soils. Of course, this doesn’t protect the people consuming the spinach at all. Organic spinach may be harder to come by, but it is worth knowing you are consuming something safely.

In Conclusion
Many small time farmers (including hobby farmers) grow blueberries and sell them in farmer’s markets or at roadside stands around the country. Ask them if they use pesticides. Since many small business growers may not invest in licensing and marketing their products as organic, they may be selling fruits and vegetables that are actually better for you.
Further, if you cannot buy these risky foods organically, reduce their potential damage to your body. Wash them thoroughly and peel off the skin when possible. While exposure to pesticides and other harmful chemicals is not desirable at all, less exposure is certainly better.