The Dirty Dozen 2025

We can’t eat absolutely everything organic to avoid the Dirty Dozen. Not all foods are readily available organically grown, plus the cost is much great than for conventional foods.

However, we can selectively eat organic foods where the conventional versions have the most pesticides and chemicals on them. There is a list available called The Dirty Dozen list that shows which fruits and veggies have the highest concentration of pesticides. The list changes from year to year, although I have noticed that the majority of foods appear over and over each year.

Pesticides are especially problematic for children. Research has shown that children that take in large amounts of pesticides tend to have lower IQs, are more likely to have ADHD, and have more problems with behavior and development.

Other research shows that pesticides also increase our risks of cancer, neurological disorders like Alzheimers and Parkinsons, and contribute to infertility.  https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/editorial/pesticides-what-are-the-risks

Here is the Dirty Dozen list for 2025…

Fruits: strawberries, grapes, apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, cherries

Veggies: bell peppers, celery, spinach, leafy greens (like kale, collard, mustard), tomatoes

There is also a Clean 15 list, which lists the produce that has the least amount of pesticides. Over 98% of samples from this group showed minimal to no detectable pesticides. When they were detected, most samples showed only one type of pesticide residue.

Thick-skinned fruits like avocados and cantaloupes tend to have less pesticide residue. Some foods also have natural defense mechanisms. https://thenutraplanet.com/clean-fifteen-foods/  I.e., mushrooms have natural antimicrobial properties and asparagus have bitter substances that deter pests.

Here is the Clean 15 list for 2025…

Fruits: pineapple, mango, papaya, avocado, watermelon, kiwi, honeydew, cantaloupe

Veggies: mushrooms, sweet onion, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, cabbage, asparagus