With all this talk about getting our daily servings of fruits and veggies, we may forget about other concerns on those foods aside from nutrients: pesticides, some of which have been classified as cancer-causing agents.
I eat a lot of fruits and veggies so I do my best to avoid pesticides but some foods have more than others, and it's hard to keep track. 
In an effort to make your next trip to the grocery store a little easier, here are the top twelve fruits and vegetables that contain the greatest amounts of pesticide residue:
- peaches
- strawberries
- apples
- spinach
- nectarines
- celery
- pears
- cherries
- potatoes
- sweet bell peppers
- raspberries
- grapes (imported)
Looking to get the least pesticides in your diet? Then read more.
To avoid pesticides altogether your best bet is to buy organic foods — definitely those on the above list, if not all fruits and veggies. If you're not quite there yet, then you should wash and peel any of the above fruits and vegetables (that can be peeled) to reduce the amount of pesticides found on the food.
Carvela
Swear
Church
But... isn't the best part of a fruit or veg often the skin??
1I love almost all of that, a lot...
2"If you aren't quite there" what does that mean??? Have you ever considered some people live in areas that are not able to get ORGANIC. If you ask me, I can find less pesticides at the farm stand although it does not say "organic" bc most small farmers don't want to pay for that licensing.
3All my favs hahaha!
4I buy organic every time I can. If you ask me there is a huge difference in taste from organic and non-organic. Organic is much more flavorful (in addition to healthier). I cannot live without spinach!!
5Soak your non organic fruits and veggies in water with one spoon or vinegar and one of baking soda for 5 min. It helps to clean some of the pesticide residue.
6LaurenG22 - Not sure where you live but good for you for shopping from your local farmers! And you're right, their produce is often pesticide free even if they can't afford to get the USDA organic certification. At the local farmer's markets and stands, most of them will advertise that they don't use pesticides and it's always nice to know where your food comes from.
More and more places are offering organic produce so I would just keep your eye out or start requesting them at places you shop. Perhaps they don't realize there is a demand for them.
7The worst allergic reaction Ive ever had, was from a tangerine...oranges give me major hives too...sucks cuz I love them. The funny thing is that Im not even allergic to any fruit, just soy and peanuts.
8I always wait until raspberries are in season and buy organic. They taste better to me and peaches too!
9I don't know if I can actually find organic raspberries. Raspberries are the ones I like the most from what's listed. I love raspberries.
10that's almost upsetting seeing as how my diet is 100% fruits and veggies and i like to eat a lot of those. i'll just have to get those stronger fruit cleaners to soak my food in before i eat. thanks for the warning!
11Bummer, all of my favs are on the list. I knew apples and potatoes were bad. I live about 3 blocks away from our local farmer's market and buy produce from them all of the time. The veggies and fruits that I can't find in the market I buy organic at Whole Foods.
12I learned that in 6th grade. If there's stuff that I can't peel like strawberry, I would wash it with hot water 2 times before eating it.
13I don't buy organic, but I do wash all my produce well with a solution of baking soda. It gets a lot of the wax and pesticides off.
14I always buy organic if I have a choice, but I don't live in San Francisco so it's not always that easy.
15if it's available in the organic section, i buy it organic.
spectra, what is this baking soda soluton of yours?
16I just mix about a tablespoon of baking soda in a pot full of water and stir it around until it's dissolved. Then I just put the veggies and fruit in there and use a veggie brush to clean all the dirt and stuff off. Then you just rinse it off, put your produce into zip baggies with a paper towel and into the fridge. If you're doing berries, wash them in the solution right before you use them otherwise they'll get moldy.
17it's a shame to peal the, because most of nutrients are in the skin.
18boy, pesticides really are a bummer..
i don't mean to be gross, but in the U.S. the condition of many people's colon is bad, and to think not only can the types of food we eat make things toxic for us, but pesticides just make us more sick.
veggies and fruits are supposed to be the best for us, but i guess not always.
i guess someone's gotta make an extra buck though..
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