Need not worry, friends — you don’t have to buy everything organic!
Although buying 100% organic guarantees minimal pesticide exposure from fruits and vegetables, this is not very realistic for most.
Follow the lists below to discover which 12 foods have the highest pesticide count and should always be purchased organically (the “dirty dozen”) and which “clean 15” foods have low-pesticide count — and thus, are safe to purchase conventionally:
The “Dirty Dozen” (always purchase organic):
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Bell Peppers
- Nectarines – Imported
- Cucumbers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Snap Peas – Imported
- Potatoes
The “Clean 15” (are safe to purchase conventionally):
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn (Note: Most corn supply in the US is genetically modified, so look for NON-gmo corn)
- Pineapples
- Cabbage
- Sweet Peas – Frozen
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Mangoes
- Papayas
- Kiwi
- Eggplant
- Grapefruits
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Sweet Potatoes
