Asparagus – Does not appeal to many pests and is rarely treated with pesticides though not grown or popular in India.
Avocados – Low pesticide residues and a thick skin make non-organic avocados an acceptable choice
Cauliflower, Cabbage – Pesticides don’t work well on these veggies so few are used.
Corn, sweet – Although it may be sprayed with herbicides and some pesticides, sweet corn almost never contains pesticide residue (buy local).
Eggplant (all varieties) – Because it is selectively sprayed with minimally toxic pesticides, eggplant rarely contains pesticide residue
Garlic – Has natural pest control and is rarely sprayed
Onions (all ) – Have natural pest control and are not sprayed much. Green onions are sometimes sprayed with an herbicide. Organic is better, but non is acceptable
Sweet Potatoes – Pesticides do not work well for this crop and are used sparingly
Tomatoes – Buy local tomatoes. Always. If you cannot find them, buy whatever tomato smells the closest to a home grown tomato
Zucchini – Does not tolerate many pesticides and herbicides, but the pesticides used on this crop include several known carcinogens.
Melons, Cantaloupes – It’s OK to eat domestically grown non-organic melons in season. They have think skin and pesticides do not work well for this crop and are used sparingly
Bananas – Low pesticide residues and a thick skin makes non-organic an acceptable choice. Fair-trade or organic bananas are often the same price as non-organic.
Grapefruit, Tangerines, Oranges – Among citrus fruits, both rank low in pesticide residue. Most pesticide residue is concentrated in the peel. Buy organic if using the peel in cooking baking.
Mangoes, Papayas, Kiwis, Pineapples– These thick skinned tropical fruits typically have little or no pesticide residue.