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13 Foods You Should NEVER Buy Organic

Eric Berg

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TL;DR

The four things you'd lose by not watching

4 items

TL;DR

The four things you'd lose by not watching

4 items

Skip organic for 13 foods where shells, peels, or nature make pesticide residue negligible: sea salt, wild salmon, avocados, baking soda, mineral water, hard-shell nuts, coconuts, cabbage (remove outer leaves), bananas, and game meat. You'll save 50-80%.

Always buy organic for 11 high-risk foods: peanuts, strawberries, coffee, tea, chocolate, cotton (especially tampons and baby items), spinach, apples, grapes, cherries, and all wheat/oats/lentils/pulses — due to heavy spraying, thin skins, or glyphosate used as a drying agent on non-GMO grains.

Organic labeling is confusing: 'made with organic ingredients' = 70%, 'organic' = 95%, '100% organic' = 100%. Organic junk food like Pop-Tarts has the same sugar/starch; hydroponic organic lacks soil microbes and isn't healthier.

Non-GMO does not mean pesticide-free. Glyphosate (Roundup) is sprayed on non-GMO wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, lentils, and pulses as a pre-harvest drying agent. Only organic certification guarantees no glyphosate.

Protocols

Concrete recipes — what, when, how much, and why

2 items

Remove outer cabbage leaves to minimize pesticide residues

WhatPeel away and discard the outer leaves of conventional cabbage before eating the inner leaves.

WhenWhenever you prepare non-organic cabbage.

For whomAnyone who eats non-organic cabbage.

WhyPesticides are sprayed on the outer surface but do not penetrate to the core, so removing the outer layer eliminates most residues.

CaveatsAssumes no systemic pesticides that migrate internally; works best with head-forming cabbages.

Personal experience

I do that — take the outer part of that cabbage away.

All you have to do is take the outer part of that cabbage away and then you're not going to have any pesticides. So, that's one thing that I do.

Peel apples to reduce pesticide exposure

WhatPeel conventional apples before eating to remove a good amount of surface pesticide residues, though the peel is not a complete barrier.

WhenWhen consuming non-organic apples and unable to obtain organic.

For whomNon-organic apple eaters.

WhyMuch of the sprayed pesticides sit on the peel; removing it significantly reduces intake, but the speaker warns that the apple peel is not as impenetrable as a nut shell.

CaveatsNot a full substitute for organic; the peel is more permeable than a hard shell, so some pesticides may still be present internally. The speaker still recommends organic apples as the better choice.

I think if you actually peeled the apples, you probably could take off uh a good amount of those pesticides. But apparently the peel is definitely different than a shell from a nut. So you're not going to get the same protection.

What's new

Personal practice updates, fresh positions, predictions

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organic-junk-food-and-hydroponic-misleading

Organic certification does not mean healthier when applied to ultra-processed snacks or hydroponically grown vegetables, because sugar, starch, and missing soil biology undermine any perceived benefit.

Why this matters: Challenges the widespread belief that 'organic' automatically equals nutritious, exposing marketing that can lead consumers to pay premium prices for equivalent junk food or incomplete produce.

Background

The organic label was created to signify absence of synthetic pesticides, but over time it expanded to include highly processed items and soilless hydroponic systems. Consumers often equate the term with overall healthfulness without scrutinizing ingredient quality or growing methods.

The speaker highlights two major gaps in the organic halo. First, processed organic snacks — such as organic Pop-Tarts — contain the same massive sugar and refined starch loads as conventional versions. Replacing synthetic additives with organic sweeteners or flours does not change the nutritional profile, and eating them confers no real health advantage; it can even create a false sense of permission to overconsume empty calories. The packaging's green and brown cues only amplify the illusion. Second, hydroponic farming, where plants grow in a mineral solution without soil, can earn organic certification, yet the speaker argues that soil's microbial ecosystem — which contributes to plant nutrient density and phytochemical richness — is missing. Without the soil microbiome, a hydroponic 'organic' label doesn't signify the same complexity as soil-grown produce. He also reminds viewers of the three organic labeling tiers: 'made with organic ingredients' requires only 70% organic content, 'organic' need 95%, and '100% organic' must be entirely organic, adding to consumer confusion.

They have the same amount of sugar and starch, but they're organic. So, when you actually consume the organic version, it's not going to make you any healthier.

Also said

“And if I'm not mistaken, they also have the certification of organic, which I don't really like because you're growing vegetables in water with some minerals in it and it's not complete. It's not like soil where you have the microbes.”— Adds the hydroponic dimension, reinforcing that organic certification can be granted to methods the speaker deems inferior.

glyphosate-drying-agent-on-non-gmo-grains

Non-GMO wheat, oats, lentils, and pulses are routinely sprayed with glyphosate as a harvest desiccant, meaning only organic versions reliably avoid this herbicide, contradicting the assumption that non-GMO equals pesticide-free.

Why this matters: Closes a critical gap in consumer knowledge: avoiding GMOs does not protect against glyphosate exposure, a herbicide of significant public health debate. Many health-conscious shoppers inadvertently purchase glyphosate-treated foods.

Background

The non-GMO verification project and similar labels certify the absence of genetically engineered material but do not restrict synthetic herbicide use. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is widely employed in conventional agriculture not only as a weedkiller but also as a pre-harvest drying agent on various grain and pulse crops. Agricultural surveys have documented residues in common foods, yet the non-GMO label offers no safeguard.

The speaker explains that farmers apply glyphosate to crops like wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, lentils, and pulses shortly before harvest. This practice, known as desiccation, kills the plant uniformly and dries the grain for easier, more predictable combine harvesting. The problem is that residues of glyphosate can remain on the harvested food product. Because the non-GMO standard only addresses genetic modification, these crops can still legally receive this treatment. Organic certification, by contrast, explicitly prohibits synthetic herbicides, so choosing organic versions of these staples is the only way to avoid glyphosate residues. The speaker warns that many consumers buy non-GMO thinking they are choosing a cleaner product, when in reality they could be exposing themselves to a chemical of concern. He strongly urges anyone who eats these foods to prioritize organic over merely non-GMO.

Even if you see non-GMO wheat, that means it's not genetically modified. But it doesn't mean they're not spraying an herbicide called glyphosate, which is Roundup Ready on it, because that's what they do as a drying agent.

Also said

Practice

Cabbage is not heavily sprayed, and any residues stick to the outer leaves, which can be removed. Pesticides don't penetrate to the core.

Practice

Tea leaves are even more prone to chemical sprays than coffee beans, so organic is a must for tea drinkers.

Tea is also heavily sprayed, but because tea is like a leaf, you're going to get even more chemicals than coffee.

Find Buy

Notable quotes

Lines worth pulling out — contrarian, specific, or perfectly phrased

5 items

Sometimes you'll see organic mineral water. I mean, does anyone really believe that that actually is a thing?

Contrarian and humorous, highlighting the absurdity of organic labeling on items that were never treated with agricultural chemicals.

Sea salt is a mineral, okay? it's not harvested with pesticides, insecticides, because pests don't eat sea salt.

Concise, memorable logic that cuts through marketing for a common pantry item.

They have the same amount of sugar and starch, but they're organic. So, when you actually consume the organic version, it's not going to make you any healthier.

Plainly dispels the health halo of organic junk food, using a concrete Pop-Tart example.

Even if you see non-GMO wheat, that means it's not genetically modified. But it doesn't mean they're not spraying an herbicide called glyphosate, which is Roundup Ready on it, because that's what they do as a drying agent.

Powerful insight that non-GMO does not equal pesticide-free, specifically naming glyphosate and its application method.

Cotton tampons which actually go inside your body that you can be exposed to these chemicals that then those residues can be absorbed by your body.

Puts a rarely considered personal exposure route into stark terms, making the case for organic cotton tangible.

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Topics covered

organic-definitionorganic-label-tiershydroponic-organicorganic-junk-foodpesticide-residuemarketing-organichard-shell-barrierwild-fish-organicglyphosate-drying-agentnon-gmo-vs-organicheavy-spray-cropscotton-tampons-pesticidescabbage-peelingapple-peeling

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Educational summary of the cited expert source — not medical advice. Open the source recording linked above and consult a qualified physician before acting on any protocol.