Report Card: Pesticides in Produce

Next time you are buying produce consider which ones have the least amount of pesticide.

The Environmental Working Group published a report card to help you figure out what is the most and least contaminated. You can download a Wallet Guide of the report card for your next trip to the grocery store.
http://www.foodnews.org/reportcard.php

Most contaminated:
"Among the top six were four fruits, with peaches leading the list, then strawberries, apples and nectarines. Pears, cherries, red raspberries, and imported grapes were the other four fruits in the top 12.

Spinach, celery, potatoes, and sweet bell peppers are the vegetables most likely to expose consumers to pesticides."

Least contaminated:
"The vegetables least likely to have pesticides on them are sweet corn, avocado, cauliflower, asparagus, onions, peas and broccoli.

The five fruits least likely to have pesticide residues on them are pineapples, mangoes, bananas, kiwi and papaya."
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"Adjusting your eating habits can lower your intake of pesticides -- sometimes dramatically so. Substitute organic for conventional produce that is consistently contaminated with pesticides. When organic is not available, eat fruits and vegetables with consistently low pesticide loads. 

Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to nearly 20 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 12 least contaminated will expose a person to a fraction over 2 pesticides per day. Less dramatic comparisons will produce less dramatic reductions, but without doubt using the Guide provides people with a way to make choices that lower pesticide exposure in the diet."