The Dirty Dozen

Photo Source: J Pollack Photography

Environmental Working Group has compiled a list of fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticide residue.  To make it easy for shoppers, the EWG divided the list into two groups; “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Clean 15”.  According to their research, eating produce from “The Dirty Dozen” exposes you to an average of 10 pesticides a day.  When you choose produce from “The Clean 15”, you’ll consume fewer than 2 pesticides a day.  Some highlights from their study can be found here. Obviously, the best way to avoid pesticides is to buy organic.   But buying organic foods can sometimes be difficult i.e. cost, availability, etc.  So EWG recommends with a limited choice or budget replacing conventional produce items from “The Dirty Dozen” with organic alternatives to decrease your exposure to pesticides.  The EWG even created a free iPhone app to reference their lists while shopping.