These Are the 'Cleanest' Fruits and Veggies

Doctor's orders on getting enough fruits and veggies often doesn't include one important caveat: Try to avoid picking up items that are tainted by pesticides. In its annual shopper's guide, EWG clarifies which produce to scoop up and which maybe to avoid if you're concerned about chemical contamination, deeming the two respective lists the "Clean 15" and "Dirty Dozen." The guide found that almost 60% of the fruits and vegetables on the "clean" list featured no residue that could be detected, while almost all of the "Dirty Dozen" (96%) failed the residue test and contained pesticides. The guide isn't designed steer consumers away from fruits and vegetables, "but rather to help shoppers better understand what may be on their produce so they can make informed decisions at the grocery store," EWG's Varun Subramaniam tells Food & Wine. Check out both lists:

Clean 15

1. Pineapple
2. Sweet corn
3. Avocados
4. Papaya
5. Onion
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Cabbage
9. Cauliflower
10. Watermelon
11. Mangoes
12. Bananas
13. Carrots
14. Mushrooms
15. Kiwis

Dirty Dozen

1. Spinach
2. Kale, collards, and mustard greens
3. Strawberries
4. Grapes
5. Nectarines
6. Peaches
7. Cherries
8. Apples
9. Blackberries
10. Pears
11. Potatoes
12. Blueberries, as well as green beans and peppers (bell and hot)

More on how to mitigate pesticide exposure here.