I'll have my apples brown, thanks

For years, we were told at school that "An apple a day keeps the doctor away".

Well these days, apples are classified as the "Dirty Dozen" - and no, I am not talking about the 1967 war movie. In the modern nutrition world, the "Dirty Dozen" includes the most highly contaminated fruit and vegetables which have the highest pesticide residues in the way they are farmed.

These are: 1> Apples 2> Peaches 3> Nectarines 4> Cherries 5> Strawberries 6> Grapes 7> Pears 8> Spinach 9> Celery 10> Lettuce 11> Potatoes 12> Bell peppers / capsicum

I guess if you think about it, all of the above look pretty good visually. They're the kind of fruit and veg that children's plastic toys usually consist of.

I prefer green apples over red, I love how they're a little tart, very refreshing and are naturally lower in sugar and higher in fiber than some of the other fruit like bananas, mangoes, grapes and cherries.

Apples make a great alternative for baking healthier desserts and salads too, and are often the most affordable despite seasonality. I choose organic apples as the price differential against non-organic isn't too significant, and they definitely taste more natural and are juicier, mainly due to when the fruit is harvested during their cycle.

Have a look at this picture: this organic apple has marks on its skin and it's smaller in size than the non-organic one, which has a super waxy and perfect looking skin.

Bottom line is, learn to love imperfect looking apples, as they tend to full of natural goodness, fiber and vitamins.

*C*