The Dirty Dozen: 12 fruits and veggies with the most pesticide residue. If you’re going to buy anything organic, these would be the best bang for your buck. Buying organic means that no man-made fertilizers or pesticides were used in the plant or the soil. We recommend keeping this list in your wallet so you can break it out at the grocery store.
- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Pears
- Grapes (Imported)
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Potatoes
There’s a flip side to this coin. Another handy list to keep in your wallet is the Clean 15. These are the 15 types of produce with the least amount of pesticide residues. This means you can pinch pennies and opt for conventional rather than organic.
- Sweet Corn
- Avocados
- Pineapple
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Sweet Peas frozen
- Papayas
- Asparagus
- Mangos
- Eggplant
- Honeydew
- Kiwi
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Grapefruit
Something to keep in mind:
Any produce (organic or conventional) is better than no produce. The health-promoting nutrients in plants outweigh the pesticide residues on even the “dirtiest” produce. Therefore, if conventional produce is what you can afford, buy it without hesitation!
