According to the Environmental Working Group, nearly two-thirds of the 3,015 produce samples tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2013 contained pesticide residues.
I try to make the most of my grocery dollar because I know that food is my medicine. The better my food the better my health. The reality is that not everything I eat is organic. So I educated myself on which produce should always be bought organic and which ones can be conventional. Take avocados, they are the cleanest conventionally grown food with only 1% of avocados showing any detectable signs of pesticides. The potato has more pesticides by weight than any other produce.
The Dirty Dozen – Buy Organic
- Apples
- Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Cherries
- Imported Grapes
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Red Raspberries
- Spinach
- Strawberries
The Clean 15 – Buy Conventional
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Corn (sweet)
- Eggplant
- Kiwi
- Mangos
- Onions
- Papaya
- Pineapples
- Peas (sweet)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
An educated consumer is a healthy consumer. Click here for the complete Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce as compiled by the EWG.