Before WWII, farmers relied on moon cycles, crop rotation and farmed in much simpler ways without the use of synthetic pesticides. They farmed the way nature intended; what we now call “organic farming”. But today, the United States alone uses roughly 1 billion pounds of pesticides each year, and these chemicals are one of the biggest threats to our health. If you’re wondering how to limit your exposure (without breaking the bank), you’ve come to the right place.

First, let’s get to the nitty gritty: what are pesticides, exactly? They are chemicals designed to kill living organisms — insects, weeds, mold and fungi that are considered “pests.” They are toxic by design.

The Environmental Working Group's analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture data found that two-thirds of non-organic produce has detectable pesticide residues. The average person eating non-organic produce consumes approximately 16 pounds of chemical pesticides every year.

You might be wondering what this means for your health. What we know is that repeated exposure to pesticides has been linked to serious health implications like skin, lung and eye irritation, cancer, brain toxicity, blood disorders, nerve disorders, increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, neuro-developmental effects, hormone dysfunction, birth defects, and infertility in both men and women. Pesticides can be detected in the umbilical cord blood of babies, breast milk, and in urine and blood samples as reported by the Center for Disease Control. Since there are not many studies on the long-term effects of pesticide residues on healthy adults, it is best to minimize your exposures when possible.

As an avid fruit and veggie washer myself, I thought I was in the clear. Wrong. I didn’t realize this method was ineffective for pesticide removal until I learned two things: pesticides are water-resistant to withstand rain in the fields, and they absorb into the flesh of produce. Don’t get me wrong, washing your fruits and veggies is important to remove dirt and other nasties (get my quick 3-step guide here), but pesticide residues remain even when we wash them. In fact, depending on the fruit or vegetable, more than 100 different chemicals can be left as a residue. Bleh!

In a study by the EWG, they found at least one pesticide on 63% of the produce sample size they analyzed—even after being properly washed—and 10% of the sample had residue from 5 or more various pesticides.

Okay, this is heavy stuff, but here’s the good news: The EWG’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce ranks produce based on the amount of pesticide residue found on them. This guide helps you avoid the non-organic fruits and vegetables that are highest in pesticide residues (what they call the Dirty Dozen), and opt for non-organic items from the least contaminated group (the Clean Fifteen).

EWG's 2023 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™

Dirty Dozen:

These foods have the highest level of toxic organophosphate insecticides. Be sure to buy them organic. You can reduce your pesticide exposure by a whopping 80% by avoiding the “Dirty Dozen”.

7. Apples

8. Grapes

9. Bell and hot peppers

10. Cherries

11. Blueberries

12. Green Beans

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale, collard, mustard greens

4. Peaches

5. Pears

6. Nectarines