Pesticides are chemicals that destroy pests. The EWG rated the 49 food items based on a variety of measurements, including percent of detectable pesticide and multiple pesticides, average number and amount of pesticides on samples, and maximum number and amounts of pesticides per item.The list is based on an analysis of 96,000 pesticide tests the USDA and FDA conducted between 2000 and 2008. Steering clear of pesticides is important for long-term health. , cancer prevention, wound healing and gut health. “It’s important to remember that conventional agriculture relies heavily on insecticide,” says Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst at the consumer protection agency EWG. According to the 2014 study released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 75% of the produce sampled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture contains pesticide residues. Strawberries, spinach, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, celery, potatoes, sweet bell peppers, kale, lettuce, nectarines and cucumbers are some of the foods that are highest in pesticides and should be avoided . The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit activist group dedicated to public health, releases its annual Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, and this year's results are in! It’s rather simple: Buy 100% organic. Given their popularity, it’s a real shame that potatoes are one of the worst foods for pesticides! The best and worst foods for pesticide levels. Though the average potato shows more pesticides than any other vegetable, it’s actually the lightest of leafy greens that really wilt under the weight of pesticides. 5 Foods with the Worst Pesticides; 5 Foods with the Worst Pesticides. The application of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides etc.) DDE, dieldrin and organochlorine pesticides were banned by the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act for damaging brain development and intelligence in young children. Residue from these chemicals can also be found in apple juices and apple sauces. Definitely need to start eating from the other list! These toxins are banned in other crops, but are still allowed on hot peppers. 4 Heavy-Pesticide Fruits and Vegetables to Avoid #1 Strawberries In the last two years, strawberries have passed apples as the most toxic fruit in the American diet. 2007 and 2008 studies by the USDA found 51 pesticides on kale and 41 pesticides on collard greens. The general public needs to also be leery of what is consumed and absorbed by the body. This results in roughly 18,000 deaths from pesticide related poisoning. At the time of study, these highly toxic pesticides were found: Chlorpyrifos and esfenvalerate are still widely used today. There’s a revolution happening in the food world. Their thick outer skin prevents pesticides from touching the fruit inside. Purple cabbage contains anthocyanins, and is being studied by researchers for perceived anti-carcinogenic properties. Over a lifetime of fruits and veggies, pesticide residues can really add up. Thanks! Eating foods that are grown in natural soils in a natural habitat keep the pesticide and insecticide levels down. They have been proven to be on the very low end for chemical residues when purchased non-organically. That’s more proof that sustainable and organic is the way to go, especially when it comes with all the antioxidants and healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in an avocado. Pesticide residue has increased in strawberries because of out-of-season demand. Yet these chemicals remain in agricultural ground soils today – and, hence, the pesticide-heavy potatoes. 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