12 Foods with the Most Pesticides
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: March 18, 2011

Scientists have been warning us for some time about the hazards of pesticides. Even ingesting small amounts of pesticides and other chemicals can have long-term lasting effects on our health, especially during fetal and early childhood development. Research by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that people who consume an average of five of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, what they refer to as the "Dirty Dozen," per day are ingesting an estimated 10 different pesticides, whereas those who eat from the 15 least contaminated list (see below) ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. According to the EWG, you can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoiding the "Dirty Dozen" and instead eating the least contaminated produce.  To see the full list - from best to worst - click here. The 12 Worst (Dirty Dozen) Buy organic instead!

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Cherries
Kale/Collard
Greens
Potatoes
Grapes (Imported)

Foods lowest in Pesticides

Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mangos
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potato
Honeydew Melon

Photo by: Debby

Comments:
Florence Horowitz
March 19, 2011

SO, is washing by letting water run on the fruit enough ... or should one not eat " Worst "fruits
Sheri Wetherell

Hi Florence,
According to the EWG, rinsing does help but does not completely eliminate the pesticides. If possible, it's best to buy organic, especially for the types on the Dirty Dozen list. I know I'm going to only buy organic now, especially celery! :)
Lamb

I'm really trying hard to make the switch to strictly organic for those top 12 worst offenders. One thing that has helped was to find an image of the list (an easy Google image search for dirty dozen) and use it as my desktop wallpaper :)
Sheri Wetherell

That's so smart! Thanks for the tip!
Raw Food Diet Zone

Great advice!!