12 Vegetables And Fruits With Most Pesticides And 15 Fruits And Vegetables With Least Pesticides

group of people spraying pesticides in a field

We are all concerned about what we put on our plates every day. How healthy it is, without additives and pesticides.

Research has shown that nearly 70% of samples of 48 types of conventional products were contaminated with pesticide residues.

In this article, we are going to reveal what fruits and vegetables have been found to be most sprayed with pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides and which fruits and vegetables have been found to be sprayed less.

Vegetables And Fruits With Most Pesticides

This is the list of vegetables and fruits with the most pesticides.

  1. Strawberries
  2. Spinach
  3. nectarines
  4. apples
  5. peaches
  6. pears
  7. cherries
  8. Grapes
  9. Celery
  10. tomatoes
  11. peppers
  12. potatoes

Strawberries are in the first place, since more than any other fresh fruit they are filled with pesticide residues even when cleaned and packaged.

Fruits And Vegetables With Least Pesticides

This is the list of fruits and vegetables with the least pesticides.

  1. sweet corn
  2. avocado
  3. pineapple
  4. cabbage
  5. onions
  6. frozen sweet peas
  7. Papaya
  8. asparagus
  9. mango
  10. eggplant
  11. honeydew melon
  12. kiwifruit
  13. melon cantaloupe
  14. cauliflower
  15. Grapefruit

How to Remove Pesticides From Fruits And Vegetables

If you are wondering how to remove pesticides from fruits and vegetables, here’s the best way to do it. Simply mix water with vinegar. Soak fresh fruits and vegetables for 15-20 minutes in a mixture of 90% water and 10% vinegar. Then rinse them with plenty of running water.

🍋 TIP: If vinegar’s smell is too strong for you, use lemon juice in the same proportion.

🛑 What to look out for: Don’t use this method in porous species, such as strawberries, berries, and grapes. This is because they can absorb a lot of vinegar and spoil.

The species that absorb more pesticides

Apples, strawberries, grapes, peaches, nectarines, cherries, celery, spinach, peppers, peas, and potatoes are the most contaminated foods with pesticides, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Species that absorb fewer pesticides

Corn, pineapple, cabbage, frozen peas, onions, asparagus, mango, avocado, kiwis, eggplant, grapefruit, melon, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes, are the species that retain the least pesticides, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

How to avoid pesticides in fruits and vegetables

  • Keep fruits and vegetables out of the refrigerator for as long as possible to help break down the pesticides. In hot climates though, refrigeration is a must.
  • Prefer buying seasonal fruits and vegetables as they are less likely to be sprayed with pesticides.
  • If we can afford it, we prefer fruits and vegetables of organic origin.

🙏 If you enjoyed our article on fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticides, be sure to share it with your friends and family. Help them stay healthy, educate and inspire them.

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