The Good, The Bad and the Really Dirty!
So you’d like to try and eat more organic food. Good for you! It may seem like it’s going to cost a fortune to start buying organic, but it doesn’t have to. You just need to shop smart. Some fruits and vegetables carry very little pesticide residue, while others are downright covered in it. Here are 3 lists of fruits and vegetables that you should either definitely buy organic, buy organic if you can and which conventionally-grown ones are okay.
According to the Environmental Working Group, it is estimated that if a person avoids eating the top 12 non-organically grown produce, pesticide exposure can be reduced by up to 80%.
The following lists are in order of worst to best, 1 being the worst.
The Good — Low Pesticide Residue
- Eggplant
- Cabbage
- Kiwi
- Sweet Peas (frozen)
- Asparagus
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Sweet Corn (frozen)
- Avocado
- Onion
The Bad — Average to High Pesticide Residue
- Carrot
- Pear
- Collard Greens
- Spinach
- Potato
- Green Beans
- Summer Squash / Zucchini
- Pepper
- Cucumber
- Raspberries
The Really Dirty Dozen — High Pesticide Residue
- Celery
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Nectarines
- Bell Peppers
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cherries
- Potatoes
- Grapes (imported)
