The Dirty Dozen – It is so important to wash your fruit and vegetables in order to remove pesticide residues. The worst offenders are known as the ‘Dirty Dozen’. Here is a list of those offenders in order of pesticide residue frequency.
- Apples
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Spinach
- Sweet bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Snap peas
- Potatoes
There have been two further additions to this list, which have been found to contain organophosphate insecticides, which are highly toxic to the nervous system. These are:
- Hot peppers
- Kale/collard greens
The Clean Fifteen – these are fruits and vegetables, which are least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues.
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Cabbage
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Mangos
- Papayas
- Kiwi
- Aubergine
- Grapefruit
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Sweet Potatoes
Where possible, I would always recommend eating organic, as not only will you avoid pesticide contamination, but also heavy metals, such as lead and mercury; exposure to these toxins can cause neurological problems and can also affect the nervous system, leading to illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.