The Dirty Dozen

With summer in full swing, most of us are taking advantage of all of the fresh fruits and veggies available. A study came out in May, conducted by the Environmental Working Group (an organization of scientists, researchers, and policy makers), which highlighted fruits and veggies that contain high levels of pesticides. They dubbed these culprits "The Dirty Dozen", as they contain at least 47 different chemicals when conventionally grown. It is recommended that you try to buy organic for the following products, unless you want to consume a chemical cocktail:

The Dirty Dozen
celery
peaches
strawberries
apples
domestic blueberries
nectarines
sweet bell peppers
spinach, kale and collard greens
cherries
potatoes
imported grapes
lettuce

On the flip side, they also created "The Clean Fifteen", which are safe to consume in non-organic form:

The Clean Fifteen

onions
avocados
sweet corn
pineapples
mango
sweet peas
asparagus
kiwi fruit
cabbage
eggplant
cantaloupe
watermelon
grapefruit
sweet potatoes
sweet onions

I know, it's expensive to buy organic, even at my beloved Trader Joe's. Maybe start with a few on the Dirty Dozen that you regularly purchase to begin the switch. To keep you in check, you can download a free pocket guide to take to the store with you!