In This ArticleView AllIn This Article1. Strawberries2. Spinach3. Kale, Collards and Mustard Greens4. Grapes5. Peaches6. Pears7. Nectarines8. Apples9. Bell Peppers and Hot Peppers10. Cherries11. Blueberries12. Green Beans
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, Collards and Mustard Greens
Grapes
Peaches
Pears
Nectarines
Apples
Bell Peppers and Hot Peppers
Cherries
Blueberries
Green Beans
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Photo:Tetra Images/Getty Images
Tetra Images/Getty Images
One of the easiest things you can do to improve your overall health is to eat more fruit and vegetables. Thebenefits of eating enough produceinclude lowering your risk of heart disease, improving your brain health and more. TheUSDArecommends eating 400 grams of produce each day, which is about 5 servings. This equates to about 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables.
So does it matter if the produce is organic or not? Eating more fruits and vegetables is good for you whether it’s organic or conventional. If you’re concerned about pesticides in your food, you may want to buy organic. But if the higher cost of organic doesn’t work for your budget, one resource to reference is the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG)Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. Updated annually, the nonprofit organization shares its findings based on the USDA’s and Food and Drug Administration’s testing data. The USDA peels or scrubs and washes fruits and vegetables before testing for pesticide residues, while the FDA only removes dirt.
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The guide includes the Dirty Dozen (below), which highlights fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticide resides, and theClean Fifteen, which has the lowest. If you want to buy organic but your budget doesn’t allow, you could prioritize opting for organic versions of the items on the Dirty Dozen list and conventional fruits and vegetables on the Clean Fifteen.
In 2023, theEWGfound that 75% of all conventional produce had residues of potentially harmful pesticides—and 95% of the samples on the Dirty Dozen list contained pesticides. With that said, some of the data EWG used to draw its conclusions are more than 10 years old—or older. It’s worth noting that the EWG states that everyone should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whether they’re organic or conventional, and that the health benefits outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. It’s also important to note that the USDA monitors pesticide use and residues in fruits and vegetables. Read below to see the fruits and vegetables on the 2024 EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.
Victor Protasio
Pictured Recipe:Strawberry Tart
Strawberries remain at the top of the list as the produce item with the most pesticide residues. According toEWG, more than 99% of the strawberries sampled tested positive for at least one pesticide and 30% had residues of 10 or more.
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Pictured Recipe:Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach
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Pictured Recipe:Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing
According to theEWG, kale, collard and mustard greens had the highest number of pesticides, with 103 different ones found on items in this category. And the majority of kale (60%) was contaminated with DCPA, a pesticide theEPAconsiders a possible human carcinogen.
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Pictured Recipe:Grape Chutney
More than 90% of the conventional grapes that were tested contained two or more pesticide residues, according to the EWG.
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Pictured Recipe:Peach Galette
Almost all of the conventional peach samples—99%—contained pesticide residues, according to theEWG. And more than 65% had four or more pesticide residues.
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Pictured Recipe:Vanilla, Cinnamon & White Wine Poached Pears with Yogurt
More than half of the pear samples (61%) tested had residue from five or more pesticides, according to theEWG. Overall, 64 different pesticides were found in the pear samples.
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Jacob Fox
Pictured Recipe:Hoisin-Glazed Pork-&-Nectarine Kebabs
Over 90% of the conventional nectarine samples contained two or more pesticides, per the EWG.
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Pictured Recipe:Brioche French Toast with Griddled Apples
Over 90% of the conventional apple samples contained two or more pesticides, per theEWG.
Pictured Recipe:Roasted Bell Pepper Salad with Mozzarella & Basil
More than 100 pesticides were detected on hot peppers and bell peppers, one of the highest number of different pesticides found on the produce tested (second only to kale, collard and mustard greens), per the EWG.
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Cooking Light
Pictured Recipe:Cherry & Goat Cheese Crostini
Over 90% of conventional cherry samples tested positive for two or more pesticide residues, per the EWG.
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Elizabeth Laseter
Pictured Recipe:Summer Blueberry Salad with Toasted Pecans & Feta
According to theEWG, 9 out of 10 of the blueberry samples tested had pesticide residues, with 80% of samples having more than two types of pesticides.
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Will Dickey
Pictured Recipe:Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
Similar to blueberries, 9 out of 10 of all green bean samples had pesticide residues found, often more than two types, according theEWG.
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The Bottom Line
Should you only buy organic fruits and vegetables? The short answer is no, not necessarily. The most important thing you can do for your overall health is to eat more fruits and vegetables, whether they’re conventional or organic.
If you want to avoid as many pesticides as possible, and you’re able to buy organic, prioritize items in this list since when they’re conventionally grown, they tend to be higher in pesticide residues.
But the bottom line is that more produce is better, so don’t let this list dissuade you from including fruits and vegetables in your meals and snacks. And whether your produce is organic or not, most of it should be washed before eating, peeling or cutting into it to avoid ingesting other things, like bacteria, says theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.
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