The Dirty Dozen....

 I don't know if you've heard of the "Dirty Dozen" (not the movie!) ?   
Every time you eat fruits, vegetables, or grains, you consume residues of insect killers and fungicides -- unless you eat only organic foods.  Yet not everyone's budget allows for buying only organic foods, which typically (not always) are pricier, but also must not be produced with the use of synthetic chemicals, radiation or fertilizers made of sewage sludge.  (gross!)


You can drastically reduce your intake of pesticides and fungicides by avoiding the "dirty dozen".  These are the top 12 (plus a few more...) worst fruits and vegetables for contaminates.   These are the ones where the residue cannot be washed away by scrubbing.  Many of these it's because they have a very high water content, and the pesticides and fungicides are absorbed right into the "meat" of the fruit, and others, they are very thinned skinned, and prone to little critters.



Buy these organic:

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale/collard greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)

If your budget allows for more, here are the next few to try to buy organic:

1. Lettuce
2. Blueberries (imported)
3. Carrots
4. Green beans (domestic)
5. Pears
6. Plums (imported)
7. Summer squash
8. Cucumbers (imported)

To save money in your grocery budget, you can feel comfortable buying the following fruits and vegetables in the the regular produce section since they're lowest in pesticides:

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet potato
15. Honeydew melon

And if you are like me, and you get to the produce section and can't remember if the veggie you just picked up is on the Dirty List, then follow this link to print off a pocket reminder guide - SO helpful!

 http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php