Dirty Dozen

The 2012 Dirty Dozen — the Environmental Working Group's annual list of the produce that contain the highest levels of pesticides — is out, and the results will have you running for the nearest organic market.

Once again apples top the list of produce with the most pesticides; the group says of all the apples it tested, 98 percent had detectable levels of pesticides. Celery was the second-most contaminated, followed by sweet bell peppers, peaches, and strawberries.

The group also added a new warning about kale, collard greens, and green beans; while it said that these didn't make the Dirty Dozen cut, many tested were contaminated with "highly toxic" insecticides called organophosphates.

Read on to see the full Dirty Dozen list and learn how to make your own produce wash!

With all of the information overload about the state of our current agriculture system, sometimes it's hard to keep the most basic rules straight. Whether you've been buying local produce for some time or you're finally getting serious about avoiding all the crazy pesticides, the Environmental Working Group makes it its job to inform people about which produce is best organic and where you can skip and save some extra dough.

The EWG compiled two lists: Dirty Dozen, which you should always buy organic, and Clean 14, where conventional will do just fine Some of the picks on each list may surprise you! Keep reading to learn the lowdown on pesticides and produce.

Wouldn't it be nice to live on a farm with your own garden patch out back? You could walk out the door, pick your tomatoes, and never worry about a pesticide ever touching your salad. But alas, most of us don't have that luxury. In that case, the best advice is to buy organic, especially when buying the dirty dozen, or to give your veggies and fruit a good wash before popping them in your mouth. While scrubbing a potato is quite easy, it's the more fragile berries and delicate leaves that often leave me scratching my head instead of the food. Thanks to Dr. Oz, I've got a new trick up my sleeve.

As simple as saying 1, 2, 3, you can concoct your own solution in a bottle and keep it handy on the counter top for easy produce washing. Every time you get home from the grocery, you can spritz it on your food, let it sit for five minutes, and rinse it off.
Want to see how to make it?

I'm all about having a little help when I go shopping. I use my Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch pocket guide to know what fish at my market is sustainable. And since I can't afford to buy everything organic, I try to stay away from conventional produce that is high in pesticide contamination and choose their organic counterparts instead.

The Environmental Working Group came up with two lists to help shoppers know what to look for when buying produce. The "clean 15" is made up of conventional produce that's low in pesticides, and the "dirty dozen" are foods that you should always buy organic. Heidi Kennedy, who is behind the cute crafts blog My Paper Crane, turned these lists into the handy pocket guide seen here. I've already printed one out and laminated it so that I always have this guide on me whenever I might be shopping.

Mothers looking to detoxify their children's diets should consult the dirty dozen list of produce items that contain high levels of pesticides even after washing. Experts advise that since foods like strawberries and raspberries absorb the chemical sprays like sponges, it's best to buy organic. But, if your grocery budget can't stretch to accommodate a full cart of pricey items, find some relief in the Clean 15 — the fruits and veggies that have the lowest amount of pesticides and can be purchased in the lower cost conventional varieties. Before you head out to the store to stock up, see which edibles made the list, read more