I checked David Mendosa’s diabetes blog today, & found an article on “The Dirty Dozen Foods” — conventionally-grown produce that are the most contaminated, even after washing, by pesticides. Mendosa references Environmental Working Group’s “Report Card: Pesticides in Foods”, which was actually released in October 2003, but I doubt things have changed overmuch since then.
Per the report, the most contaminated foods, in order, are:
- Apples
- Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Cherries
- Imported Grapes
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Red Raspberries
- Spinach
- Strawberries
Which means anyone who cares about keeping toxins out of their bodies should only buy those foods as organic produce, which by definition is grown without use of pesticides or other chemical inputs.
Conventionally grown produce that is least contaminated:
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Corn (sweet)
- Kiwi
- Mangos
- Onions
- Papaya
- Pineapples
- Peas (sweet)
Though I personally would prefer to get all of those organic as well.
The complete testing results gives a ranked listing of all 47 foods that were tested.
