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Eating more fruits and vegetables—organic or not—is better than eating none at all. And while many would love to be able to buy organic produce all the time, it can be expensive. Is the price of organic worth it for your health?
Pesticides can be absorbed into fruits and vegetables, leaving trace residues. Research has shown that higher exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of many health consequences, from immediate effects like throat irritation, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and dizziness to asthma, certain types of cancers and cognitive and reproductive issues from long-term exposure.
I’m a Dietitian & I Don’t Usually Buy Organic—Here’s Why
Pictured recipe:Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, releases a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides that identifies fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residues.The Clean Fifteen is the list of foods that are least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues, so if budget is a concern, you can feel good about buying these 15 fruits and vegetables conventional.
According to EWG:
Of note: Some produce—like corn and papayas—might be grown from genetically engineered seeds. If you try to avoid genetically engineered foods, you will want to opt for organic corn and papaya or find brands that carry the Non-GMO Project Verified label. Another way to tell if your produce is organic, conventional or genetically modified is to check the littlePLU labelon the produce.
Here’s EWG’s 2023 list of the Clean Fifteen, starting with the least contaminated food, along with some tasty ways to eat them.
1. Avocados
Pictured Recipe:Avocado Toast with Burrata
2. Sweet Corn
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin
Pictured Recipe:Skillet Corn
3. Pineapple
Pictured Recipe:Pineapple & Cucumber Salad
4. Onions
Jacob Fox
Pictured Recipe:Melting Onions
5. Papaya
Jenny Huang
Pictured Recipe:Dulce de Papaya con Jengibre y Cúrcuma (Candied Green Papaya with Ginger & Turmeric)
6. Frozen Sweet Peas
Pictured Recipe:Lemony Linguine with Peas
7. Asparagus
Pictured Recipe:Grilled Asparagus
8. Honeydew Melon
Pictured Recipe:Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca
9. Kiwi
Pictured Recipe:Chocolate-Pistachio Kiwi
10. Cabbage
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss
Pictured Recipe:Cabbage Steaks with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
11. Watermelon
Pictured Recipe:Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad
12. Mushrooms
Pictured Recipe:Roasted Mushrooms with Brown Butter & Parmesan
13. Mangoes
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall
Pictured Recipe:Mango & Avocado Salad
14. Sweet Potatoes
Ali Redmond
Pictured Recipe:Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Garlic-Yogurt Sauce
15. Carrots
Victor Protasio
Pictured Recipe:Cumin-Roasted Carrots with Dill Yogurt Sauce
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Kim K-H, Kabir E, Jahan SA.Exposure to pesticides and the associated human health effects.Science of The Total Environment. 2017;575:525-535. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.009Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide The Clean Fifteen.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Kim K-H, Kabir E, Jahan SA.Exposure to pesticides and the associated human health effects.Science of The Total Environment. 2017;575:525-535. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.009Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide The Clean Fifteen.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Kim K-H, Kabir E, Jahan SA.Exposure to pesticides and the associated human health effects.Science of The Total Environment. 2017;575:525-535. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.009Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide The Clean Fifteen.
Kim K-H, Kabir E, Jahan SA.Exposure to pesticides and the associated human health effects.Science of The Total Environment. 2017;575:525-535. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.009
Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
Environmental Working Group.EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide The Clean Fifteen.
