Dirty Dozen

In my quest to move towards eatting more organic and whole foods I have found the "dirty dozen" and the "clean fifteen" very helpful.  Have you heard of the dirty dozen?  About a year ago my mom sent me a newspaper article highlighting the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) research on pestiside exposure and fresh produce.  According to the article, you can cut your pestcide exposure by 80% simply by avoiding (choosing organic) the twelve most contiminated fruits and veggies.  And if you are consuming one of the clean fifteen you can save some money purchasing non-organic produce and feel relatively confident that you are not consuming large amounts of pesticides.

EWG Dirty Dozen 2011

1. Apples 
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches 
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatos
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens

EWG Clean Fifteen 2011

1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangos
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms 

You can see the whole list of ranked fruits and veggies here.
Happy Shopping and Happy Health!