How to Reduce Your Pesticide Exposure

Dirty Dozen: It’s that time of year again. Every spring, the Environmental Working Group releases a ranking of the fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residue, called the Dirty Dozen. The 2026 list put spinach at the top, followed by kale, collard, and mustard greens, then strawberries and grapes. This year, three of the ten most frequently detected pesticides were PFAS or “forever chemicals,” whose long-term health effects are still being studied.

The Benefits: Pesticide exposure has been linked to conditions like certain cancers and other diseases. High, chronic exposure is where most of the risk lies, but keeping your day-to-day intake low is a reasonable way to stay ahead of it, especially given how much is still unknown about the health risks of PFAS.

How to Do It: Thin-skinned fruits and vegetables tend to carry more residue than thick-skinned ones, so it’s a good idea to set aside some of your grocery budget to choose organic for things like strawberries, spinach, and grapes. When you do buy conventional, it helps to wash everything under cold running water for at least 15 seconds to remove much of the residue. But even with concerns about pesticides, experts agree eating plenty of fruits and vegetables should be the priority — organic or conventional — as the benefits of a healthy diet outweigh the risks.