The Dirty Dozen Pesticide List: Why it Matters to Eat Organic

This article is adapted from the Bastyr University Blog.

Pesticides and fungicides are sprayed on crops as a way to protect our food supply from bugs and pests. However, pesticides don’t simply wash off. These pesticides and fungicides penetrate our foods, and as we eat these foods we also are ingesting these harmful products.
The easiest way to avoid pesticides and fungicides is to choose organic fruits and vegetables. But if buying all organic puts too much of strain on your pocketbook, the safest place to start is with the “Dirty Dozen” list of produce containing the highest levels of pesticides.
Many of the items on the list contain multiple pesticides, some with as many as 60 different types. Although we are exposed to hundreds of pesticides a day, making some simple changes to your diet—such as not buying food off the Dirty Dozen list or buying the organic version—can reduce your exposure to pesticides and reduce health risks.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) compiles a list of the fruits and vegetables with the highest amounts of pesticides and fungicides to help consumers make informed decisions about when to buy organic.

 The 2011 Dirty Dozen list:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Imported nectarines
7. Imported grapes
8. Sweet bell pepper
9. Potatoes
10. Domestic blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens