With the cost of food rising, including organic food, it is important to know which foods on your shopping list should be organic. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has determined the "dirty-dozen," the must-buy organic foods. By analyzing more than 100,000 US government pesticide test results, they looked at the amount of pesticides found in foods, even after washing, to determine the "dirty-dozen." Below is a list of must-buy organic...

  • Apples
  • Bell peppers
  • Celery
  • Cherries
  • Grapes, imported (Chili)
  • Nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Potatoes
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries
  • Spinach

There are number of reason why some fruits and vegetables would hold on to pesticides more than others. As an example a strawberry might hold on to a pesticide due to its soft, thin outer layer. Where as a banana, with its thick peel, would have less of a chance of contamination to its edible portion.

Keep the "dirty-dozen" in mind when shopping.