Of the 48 different fruit and vegetable categories tested
by the EWG( Environmental Working Group) for the 2013 guide, the following 15 fruits and vegetables had the
highest
pesticide load, making them the most important to buy or grow organically:
|
Apples |
Celery |
Cherry Tomatoes |
|
Cucumbers |
Grapes |
Hot Peppers |
|
Nectarines (imported) |
Peaches |
Potatoes |
|
Spinach |
Strawberries |
Sweet Bell Peppers |
|
Kale |
Collard Greens |
Summer Squash |
In contrast, the following foods were found to have the lowest residual pesticide load, making them the safest bet among conventionally grown vegetables. Note that a small amount of sweet corn and most Hawaiian papaya, although low in pesticides, are genetically engineered (GE). If you’re unsure of whether the sweet corn or papaya is GE, I’d recommend opting for organic varieties:
|
Asparagus |
Avocado |
Cabbage |
|
Cantaloupe |
Sweet Corn (non-GMO) |
Eggplant |
|
Grapefruit |
Kiwi |
Mango |
|
Mushrooms |
Onions |
Papayas (non-GMO. Most Hawaiian papaya is GMO) |
|
Pineapple |
Sweet Peas (frozen) |
Sweet Potatoes |