The Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen

Every year the Environmental Working Group releases their list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that contain the highest level of pesticides. Even though it isn’t awesome to eat pesticides, the benefit from eating fresh fruits or vegetables definitely outweighs the risk associated with pesticide exposure. That being said, it isn’t awesome to eat pesticides. As you may already know, the price of organic fruits and vegetables can be significantly different than those grown with “conventional” methods. If you are on a tight budget it can be difficult to eat all organic food, but if you make an effort eat organic versions of the 12 fruits and vegetables on the “Dirty Dozen” list then you will be eliminating a SIGNIFICANT amount of chemical exposure. For example, there were over 50 different chemicals found on apples and peaches tested, while 90% of the samples of sweet corn, onion and asparagus had no detectable chemicals. Here is a handy-dandy shopper’s guide that you can carry with you next time you go to the super market:
EWG’s 2012 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce