There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood, when exposures can have long-lasting effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases completely unstudied, we're wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.

It was found that while washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce levels of some pesticides, it doesn't eliminate them. Peeling also reduces exposures, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the peel. The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce overall exposure to harmful chemicals.

With this advice in mind, an analyst at the not-for-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG: www.ewg.org) ) created a guide, "The Dirty Dozen" and "The Cleanest 12" for consumer convenience. He based his results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2004.

Tests using this guide revealed that people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90% by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead. Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to about 15 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 12 least contaminated will expose a person to less than 2 pesticides per day. Below is the EWG Guide-let's use it to our good health!