Biting into a piece of fresh fruit is a sensual experience and the ideal substitute for a sugary dessert. With so many types of fruit to choose from, you’ll never run out of inspiration – or tastepiration. When you shop for fresh fruit, you have the option of buying organic or conventional fruit. Of course, the organic fruit usually carrying the higher price tag – but is it worth it?
We already know that organic fruit should theoretically be free of pesticides. That’s important since, over time, even low levels of pesticides can accumulate in your body where they’re stored in fat tissue. It’s unclear exactly what impact low levels of pesticides have on health. That’s why it’s important to take a cautious approach as far as what you put in it.
Another reason people choose organic fruit is the belief that it’s more nutritious. Who doesn’t want to pack more nutrition into their diet? The question is whether organic fruit really does have more nutrition than conventionally grown fruit. Let’s see what science shows about the nutritional benefits of organic fruit.
Nutritional Benefits of Organic Fruit versus Conventional Fruit
According to some studies, organic fruits contain higher levels of some nutrients. A study carried out a Newcastle University in the U.K. found produce grown organically had higher levels of vitamin C, iron, and zinc, as much as 40% higher levels. Another study showed organic berries had more natural antioxidants known as polyphenols.
Yet another study found strawberries have higher levels of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that supports brain health. If you look closely at organic strawberries, they have a deeper red pigment. That’s due to the high levels of anthocyanins, which give strawberries their luscious color. Although antioxidants aren’t nutrients in the classic sense, they serve a purpose.
Problematic Pesticides
If the nutritional argument doesn’t sway you, and admittedly the nutritional differences likely aren’t enormous, the pesticide issue might. Just recently, the Environmental Working group released the 2016 list of “dirtiest” fruits and vegetables came out. These are the types of produce most heavily sprayed with pesticides. Guess which fruit topped the list? Strawberries. Other fruits that made the cut were apples, nectarines, peaches, celery, grapes, and cherries. Usually, apples top the list of the dirtiest product but strawberries supplanted them this year.
The Environmental Working Group found that of the strawberry samples they tested, the average strawberry contained 17 different pesticides. Also, 98% of the fruits that made the list were positive for one or more pesticides. You could argue that eating an occasional piece of conventional fruit probably won’t hurt you but eating it on a daily basis it’s easy to see how the pesticides add up.
If you don’t want to spend the extra money on organic and still want fruit in your diet, the Environmental Working Group’s study found conventional pineapples, mangoes, papayas, kiwis, honeydew melon, grapefruit, and cantaloupe have low levels of pesticides. So, you’re probably safe consuming these fruits in non-organic form, as long as you’re not a fruitarian who eats fruits as the mainstay of their diet.
Why Eat Fruit Anyway?
You sometimes hear people say fruit isn’t healthy because it contains fructose. Having heard repeatedly about the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup, they assume the fructose in fruit is bad news as well. Not necessarily so. After absorption, processed forms of fructose like high-fructose corn syrup head straight to the liver where it’s linked with health problems like metabolic syndrome and fatty liver.
However, you can’t compare a piece of fruit to high-fructose corn syrup. When you bite into a piece of fruit, you get fructose but you also get fiber. If you leave the skin on, you get even MORE fiber. Due to the high fiber content of fruit, the fructose in fruit is slowly absorbed and gradually makes its way to your liver rather than as one big bolus.
You also get other “good stuff” when you snack on fruit – vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Yet some fruits are higher in natural sugars than others. If you have metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes, limit the number of fruits you eat that are highest in sugar. Such fruits include:
. Figs
. Mango
. Cherries
. Grapes
. Bananas
. Dried fruit
. Fruit juice
On the healthier end of the spectrum, berries of all types are a good source of fiber with lower quantities of sugar. Sprinkle berries on your hot cereal in the morning and add them to yogurt and salads. They’ll add a nice touch of natural sweetness.
The Bottom Line
The verdict is still out on whether organic produce is better for you from a nutritional standpoint. There is some evidence that the antioxidant content of certain fruits is higher when the fruit is grown organically. An even more compelling argument for eating organic fruit is the number of pesticides on some fruits, especially strawberries and apples. If you buy conventionally grown fruit, stick to ones on the cleaner list and hold out for organic for those that have higher levels of residues.
If you buy conventional fruit, wash it thoroughly before eating it. It won’t necessarily remove all of the pesticides since some of them aren’t soluble in water.
Whatever you do, don’t stop eating fruits and vegetables. Despite the shortcomings of conventionally grown fruit in terms of pesticides, fruit is better for you than processed food and foods with added sugar. With fruit, you get the taste of sweetness along with fiber to moderate the rise in blood sugar. It’s the perfect way to end a meal when you have a taste for something sweet.
References:
Eating Well. “Organic–or Not? Is Organic Produce Healthier Than Conventional?”
Environmental Working Group. “EWG’s 2016 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™
Stanford Medicine. “Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods, study finds”
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Does Rinsing Fruits and Vegetables Remove All the Pesticides?
Is Organic Produce Really Free of Pesticides?
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