The Dirty Dozen: The Most Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables

Credit: iStock

Not all veggies and fruits are created equally—some can be downright bad for you if they’ve been chemically laced with pesticides. The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, has come up with a list of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables.

If you love some items on this list, the research group suggests buying organic to satisfy your cravings. Peaches are at the top of the most-pesticide-laden list, followed by apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes (imported), pears, spinach and potatoes.

On the flip side, the EWG reports these 12 fruits and vegetables tested lowest in pesticide residue: onions, avocado, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.

The Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org.