Minimizing Pesticide Consumption

Pesticides: Chemical substances that are meant to control pests. This includes herbicide, insecticide, nematicicide, molluscicide, piscicide, avicide, rodenticide, bactericide, insect repellent, animal repellent, microbicide, fungicide, and lampricide.

The suffix “icide” means the act of killing (as in homicide or suicide). So pesticide, by definition, is the act of killing pests.

Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) compiles two lists to help consumers avoid produce that contains toxic pesticides: the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen.

Their analysis identifies the fruits and vegetables that are the most and least contaminated with pesticides based on data from the U.S. produce industry. These lists can help inform our produce purchase decisions in three ways:

• What produce we may want to avoid.

• What produce we may want to consider buying organic.

• What produce we should clean very thoroughly.

Dirty Dozen

These twelve fruits and vegetables were found to be most contaminated with pesticides:

1. Strawberries 

2. Spinach

3. Kale, collard, and mustard greens

4. Peaches

5. Pears

6. Nectarines

7. Apples 

8. Grapes

9. Bell and Hot Peppers

10. Cherries 

11. Blueberries

12. Green Beans

Clean Fifteen

These items had the lowest amount of pesticide residue:

1. Avocados

2. Sweet corn

3. Pineapple 

4. Onions

5. Papaya

6. Sweet peas (frozen)

7. Asparagus

8. Honeydew melon

9. Kiwi

10. Cabbage

11. Mushrooms

12. Mangoes

13. Sweet potatoes

14. Watermelon 

15. Carrots 

You should probably clean these too before eating them.

Clean ‘Em

Clean or dirty, organic or not, you should probably wash all fruits and veggies to remove pesticide residue before consuming them.

After coming home from the grocery store, clean your produce using one of the strategies below, dry it thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. 

Here are a few produce-cleaning recipes to experiment with. Once you find the one you like best, stick with it.

Key ingredients: 

• lemon

• baking soda

• vinegar (white and apple cider)

Clean #1: Apple cider vinegar (ACV) and water.

1. In a spray bottle, combine equal parts apple cider vinegar and water. 

2. Spritz on your fruits and vegetables. 

3. Scrub with your hands or a bristle brush. 

4. Rinse with water.

5. Dry thoroughly then place in fridge. 

Clean #2: White vinegar and water.

1. In a spray bottle, combine 1 part white vinegar with 3 parts water. 

2. Soak for 5-10 minutes, scrub with your hands or a bristle brush.

3. Rinse with water.

4. Dry thoroughly then place in fridge. 

Clean #3: ACV/White vinegar, lemon, and water.

1. In a spray bottle, combine ½ cup each of ACV or white vinegar, lemon juice, and water. 

2. Spray on your fruits and veggies, then rinse with water.

3. Dry thoroughly then place in the fridge.