Sticking with clean, healthy foods is a great way to drop weight. However, not all “healthy” foods are really good for you. If fact, there are some that can wreak havoc on your metabolism. If you aren’t buying organic apples, then eating an apple a day won’t keep the doctor away.
Apples can be a healthy snack. They are relatively low in calories, fiber, vitamins, minerals and provide an array of antioxidants. Unfortunately, conventional apples are near the top of the list of the “Dirty Dozen” produce. These fruits and vegetables are the most pesticide-contaminated produce you can buy in the store.
What do pesticides have to do with weight gain? A study by the EPH shows that a particular type of fungicide used on fruits and vegetables causes weight gain in mice. This fungicide appears to qualify as an obesogen, a chemical that increases the number of fat cells or the amount of fat stored in those cells. Obesogens have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Eating non-organic apples will increase the number of obesogens in your body, potentially leading to a slower metabolism and eventually weight gain.
Other produce with high levels of obesogens includes non-organic peaches, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears.
The best way to avoid these dangerous chemicals is to buy organic. Even though eating organic apples won’t guarantee that fruit is pesticide-free doesn’t guarantee you won’t be exposed to low levels of pesticides, it should lower your overall exposure.
