Do you overlook scarred, pockmarked fruits and veggies while hunting for perfect produce? If so, you’re not alone, but new research suggests you might want to rethink your shopping strategy.
There is mounting evidence that when apples fight off disease, pests, and other stressors—the cause of unsightly scabs, blisters, and misshapen fruit—they develop more healthy antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins.
[quote position="left" is_quote="true"]As far as aesthetics go, imperfections benefit us more than a perfect carrot.[/quote]
Orchardist and cider-maker Eliza Greenman is passionate about imperfect apples. In a recent sampling in her own orchard, she compared blemished specimens to flawless ones from the same tree and found the ugly fruits were 2 to 5 percent sweeter. "I started tossing the really scabby apples, maybe 20 of them, in a blender,” says Greenman. “I did this over and over and over again."
She wanted to know what the internal reaction producing scars was doing to her apples at a chemical level. “What does that fight look like? Does a stressing agent like apple scab bring about super fruits?” wrote Greenman on her website. “It makes sense to me. When stress occurs, the apple’s response is to pump the site of infection/attack full of phenolics.”
[quote position="right" is_quote="true"] I only eat ugly apples, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen a worm.[/quote]
It is one of the deep tragedies of our modern food system that imperfect fruits and vegetables never make it off the farm, let alone into a research lab, says chef Brandon Baltzley. The Georgia-born chef worked at several acclaimed American restaurants before apprenticing on a Maine farm, and he is now co-chef at the 41-70 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
"Michelin-starred places want the most perfect, small vegetable that's uniform and looks the same a hundred times over,” says Baltzley. “From a chef’s perspective, as far as aesthetics go, imperfections benefit us more than a perfect carrot. I personally think those fruits and vegetables taste better.”
Getting the most out of imperfect produce is one of his main goals in the kitchen. "We're trying to put in more work, put in more hours, put in more labor, to cut down on other things like food cost and waste. We're really trying to lead by example."
About one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. That amounts to about 1.3 billion tons per year. In the United States and Europe, that equates to between 280 and 300 kilograms of food waste per person, a figure that has caused public outcry.
In reaction, Imperfect Produce has started distributing off-size and “misshapen” produce across California with door-to-door delivery and bulk-buying programs. It’s even partnering with Whole Foods for a pilot program in 2016. Elsewhere in the U.S., Giant Eagle supermarkets are currently testing a Produce with Personality campaign to sell unconventional fruits and vegetables, while Canada’s Loblaw chain is expanding its Naturally Imperfect line, which costs 30 percent less than standard produce, this year.
"I think we've been taught to think that all blemishes and imperfections are bad," says Greenman. "So many people think that apple scab contains a worm. I only eat ugly apples, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen a worm." Better taste and less waste sounds like just the right business model to us.
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.