The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic

How to Avoid Pesticide Residue

Not all of us can afford to go 100% organic every time we shop. The solution? Focus on those foods that come with the heaviest burden of pesticides, additives and hormones. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating only the cleanest. If consumers get their USDA-recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies from the 15 most contaminated, they could consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally grown produce ingest less than 2 pesticides daily.

EWG has been publishing guides to the \"dirty dozen\" of most pesticide contaminated foods since 1995, based on statistical analysis of testing conducted by the USDA and the FDA. The latest guide is now available, and will soon be an iPhone application. According to EWG analyst Chris Campbell, the new dirty dozen only reflects measurable pesticide residues on the parts of the foods normally consumed (i.e. washed and peeled). We have listed these 12 foods in the following pages.

Can\'t find organic versions of these foods? We list safer alternatives that contain similar valuable vitamins and minerals. It\'s also important to remember that this dirty dozen list provides no information about antibiotics or hormones, or about the impact of producing food on the surrounding environment. It is for this reason that we point out some of the most important foods to buy organic, when taking a more holistic approach.

Meat

For overall environmental impact, meat is the king of foods, even if it\'s not the most likely to have pesticide residue per se.

Contrary to a widely reported \"fact,\" meat typically contains less pesticide residue than plant-based foods, according to Debra Edwards, the director of EPA\'s Office of Pesticide Programs. But raising animals with conventional modern methods often means using hormones to speed up growth, antibiotics to resist disease on crowded feed lots, and both pesticides and chemical fertilizers to grow the grain fed to the animals. Additionally, it takes many times the water and energy to raise one meal\'s worth of meat than it does one meal\'s worth of grain.

Consumers looking to avoid meats raised with these substances can seek out certified organic meat. To meet USDA standards, this meat can come only from animals fed organic feed and given no hormones or antibiotics. Searching out cuts from grass-fed animals ensures that you\'re eating meat from an animal that was fed a more natural diet, and looking for a local source of meats lets you question the farmer directly about the animal\'s diet and the farmer\'s method of raising it. It cuts down on the environmental cost of transportation, too.

Milk

Pesticides and other man-made chemicals have been found in human breast milk, so it should come as no surprise that they have been found in dairy products, too. While any residues detected have been rare, and of low concentration, milk is of special concern because it is a staple of a child\'s diets.

Organic dairies cannot feed their cows with grains grown with pesticides, nor can they use antibiotics or growth hormones like rGBH or rbST. The overall impact of the herd is lessened when you choose organic milk.

Coffee

Many of the beans you buy are grown in countries that don\'t regulate use of chemicals and pesticides. Look for the USDA Organic label to ensure you\'re not buying beans that have been grown or processed with the use of potentially harmful chemicals.

Go a step or two further, and look for the Fair Trade Certified label to ensure that your purchase supports farmers who are paid fairly and treated well. And look for shade-grown varieties for the trifecta: Then you know the coffee is being grown under the canopy of the rainforest, leaving those ancient trees intact, along with the wildlife -- particularly songbirds -- that call them home.

1. Peaches

Multiple pesticides are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

2. Apples

Like peaches, apples are typically grown with the use of poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Scrubbing and peeling doesn\'t eliminate chemical residue completely, so it\'s best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, bananas and tangerines.

3. Sweet Bell Peppers

Peppers have thin skins that don\'t offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They\'re often heavily sprayed with insecticides.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli and cabbage.

4. Celery

Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals that are used on conventional crops.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include broccoli, radishes and onions.

5. Nectarines

There were 26 different types of pesticides found on tested nectarines.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include, watermelon, papaya and mango.

6. Strawberries

If you buy strawberries out of season, they\'re most likely imported from countries that use less-stringent regulations for pesticide use.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include blueberries, kiwi and pineapples.

7. Cherries

Even locally grown cherries are not safe. In fact, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include blueberries, raspberries and cranberries.

8. Kale

Traditionally kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus and broccoli.

9. Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are frequently contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

10. Grapes

Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape\'s thin skin.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include blueberries, kiwi and raspberries.

11. Carrots

In Europe pesticides commonly used on carrots, parsnips and onions will be banned within the next decade. The U.S. has yet to catch up with its European counterparts, so organic is the way to go with carrots.

Can\'t find organic? At least be sure to scrub and peel them. Safer carrot alternatives include sweet corn, sweet peas and broccoli.

12. Pears

As insects become more resilient to the pesticides used on pears, more and more chemicals are used. The safest bet is to go organic.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include grapefruit, honeydew mellon and mangos.

*Potatoes

America\'s popular spud appeared on the previous dirty dozen list, although it has slipped off the most current version. However, EWG analyst Chris Campbell points out that potatoes are now \"just off the list,\" so you should still try to buy organic when possible. Potatoes also get the double whammy of fungicides added to the soil for growing.

Can\'t find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage and earthy mushrooms.

**Tomatoes

In a change that surprises some, tomatoes have moved from the previous dirty dozen list to the EWG\'s most recent \"clean\" list of safest conventional produce. According to Chris Campbell, the researchers aren\'t sure exactly why this is the case. \"It could be any number of reasons,\" Campbell told TDG. \"It could be increasing awareness, better washing, substitution with better pesticides, changes in weather patterns or something else.\"

It\'s still true that the thin skin of tomatoes can allow pesticides to enter the fruit, so it\'s always a good idea to buy organic when possible, even if the popular food is no longer among the worst actors.

Can\'t find organic? You may want to consider peas, broccoli and asparagus.

Buy Smart

If the cost of buying all organic isn\'t within your budget, fear not. Check out The Daily Green\'s top ten list of fruit and vegetables you don\'t need to buy organic, because they are less likely to have pesticide residue. The feature also includes tips for buying, cleaning, storing and using each fruit and vegetable -- as well as delicious recipes!