The mainstream agricultural industry is addicted to chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. In 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that global pesticide use reached a whopping 6 billion pounds! Unfortunately and conveniently, the EPA hasn’t released an updated report since then that we know of. What do you think the chances are that this usage decreased in the last 13 years?
While other chemicals are less than desirable, we’ll focus on the use of pesticides here. As Ocean Robbins, CEO of Food Revolution Network, explains, the term “pesticides” implies that these chemicals kill pests. They do that, but their effects are also much broader. They also kill pollinators, contaminate soil, water, and air, and harm farmworkers, agricultural communities, and people who eat the produce contaminated with pesticides, Robbins says. Pesticide exposure has been linked to many negative health conditions, including cancer, endocrine disorders, liver damage, neurological disorders, disorders in sexual and reproductive health, asthma, and dizziness.
Upwards of 75% of nonorganic U.S. produce – and 95% of food listed in the Dirty Dozen – is coated with pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG)’s 2025 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. The purpose of this blog is to review the most (known as the “Dirty Dozen”) and least (known as the “Clean 15”) pesticide-laden produce, which will enable you to make the wisest fruit and vegetable choices when shopping.
Before we get to these lists, though, it’s important to say that you shouldn’t let pesticides stop you from eating produce at all. Thousands of published studies extol the health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables, and the majority of these studies evaluate produce grown commercially, meaning it’s covered in pesticides. So use the information from the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 as it’s intended – to be a guide to help you determine what’s most important to buy organic if possible. If your budget doesn’t allow you to purchase organic or if you don’t have access to organic versions of produce, you can and should still eat fruits and veggies because the health benefits outweigh the potential harm of pesticides. Robbins suggests we think about it like this: if you were faced with a choice between eating an organic donut and nonorganic kale, choose the kale. Just wash the kale (and all other produce) thoroughly.
The Dirty Dozen: The Most Pesticide-Contaminated Produce
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale, collards, and mustard greens
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Pears
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Bell and hot peppers
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Green beans
The Clean 15: The Least Pesticide-Contaminated Produce
- Avocados
- Sweet corn
- Pineapple
- Onions
- Papaya
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Asparagus
- Honeydew melon
- Kiwifruit
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Mushrooms
- Mangoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
We’ll say this again: ALL produce should be washed before eating! Even the Clean 15. Wash the Dirty Dozen for sure! Thankfully, cleaning does help remove some (not all) of the pesticides, and here’s a helpful article on how to wash produce to reduce your pesticide exposure.
Remember that one of the benefits of the EESystem technology is an enhanced ability of your body to detoxify. So the impact of whatever chemical exposure you do have (pesticides or others) may be mitigated through visits to an EESystem center followed by the all-important salt detox bath.
Reference: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/dirty-dozen-clean-fifteen/
