Every year the non-profit US organizationEnvironmental Working Group or EWG examines thousands of fruit and vegetable samples to determine which produce is most and least pesticide.


Pesticides are used to protect produce against parasites and diseases, but they are also harmful for human health. Pesticides, on the other hand, are potential toxins, which can affect your health on many levels. According to several long-term observational studies, these chemicals can impair brain development in children.

These 12 fruits and vegetables are most pesticide-laden:

  1. Apples
  2. Peaches
  3. Nectarines
  4. Strawberries
  5. Grapefruit
  6. Celery
  7. Spinach
  8. Bell pepper
  9. Cucumbers
  10. Cherry tomatoes
  11. Peas
  12. Potatoes

These 12 fruits and vegetables are least pesticide-laden:

  1. Avocado
  2. Corn
  3. Pineapple
  4. Garlic
  5. Asparagus
  6. Mango
  7. Papaya
  8. Kiwi
  9. Tomatoes
  10. Oranges
  11. Cauliflower
  12. Sweet potato (sweet potato)


It all comes down to smart shopping choices, which means that going organic is the best you can get from fruits and vegetables. To be more specific, organic produce is pesticide-free, so people who generally choose organic fruits and vegetables ingest fewer pesticides. If, however, you can’t always obtain organic produce, always wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly and peel them before consumption.