Organic Apples or No Apples: What's the Smart Choice?

Q: Which is better, eating apples that are not organic or not eating them when organic apples aren't available? Does the good in apples outweigh the harm of pesticides?
-- Linda, Elmont, AL

A: Frankly, we like them apples only if they're organic. While apples (like most fresh produce) are primo sources of healthy flavonoids, including cancer-fighting compounds called triterpenoids, they're also a "dirty" fruit in terms of pesticides. So are nectarines, peaches, cherries, imported grapes, strawberries, and blueberries. When you can get organic apples (or the other fruits on this list), you still need to wash them three times in lukewarm water to remove all the natural and unnatural stuff used, such as fertilizer. Notice we didn't tell you to peel them. Your mother was right: The skin is where most of the nutrients are. Here are some more ways to make sure you get the most nutrients possible from your produce.

When you can't get organic apples, go for "clean" fruit that is low in pesticides: pineapple, mango, kiwi, grapefruit, cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew. You'll notice that they all have inedible skins, and often thick ones. Pesticides can't get inside them any more easily than you can. Remember that the next time you're wrestling with a prickly pineapple and losing.

Do organic foods contain more antioxidants? Find out.