12 worst fruits and veggies to buy conventionally grown

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Not all of us can afford to go 100% organic every time we shop. What we can do though is to focus on those foods that come with the heaviest burden of pesticides, additives and hormones. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% by staying away from the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating only the cleanest. If consumers get their USDA-recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies from the 15 most contaminated, they could consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally grown produce ingest less than 2 pesticides daily.

According to EWG analyst Chris Campbell, the new dirty dozen only reflects measurable pesticide residues on the parts of the foods normally consumed (i.e. washed and peeled). Here are the dirty dozen, some safer alternatives follow each.

1. Peaches : Multiple pesticides are regularly used on these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards.

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include watermelon, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

2. Apples : Like peaches, apples are typically grown with the use of poisons to kill a variety of pests, from insects to fungi. Scrubbing and peeling will not eliminate chemical residue completely, so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients.

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include watermelon, bananas and tangerines.

3. Sweet Bell Peppers : Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much protection against pesticides, and they're often heavily sprayed with insecticides.

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include green peas, broccoli and cabbage.

4. Celery : Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals that are used on conventional crops.

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include broccoli, radishes and onions.

5. Nectarines : Check this out! There were 26 different types of pesticides found on tested nectarines. Wow..

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include, watermelon, papaya and mango.

6. Strawberries : If you buy strawberries out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that use less-stringent regulations for pesticide use.

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include blueberries, kiwi and pineapples.

7. Cherries : It's sad but even locally grown cherries are not safe. In fact, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries.

Can't find organically grown? Safer alternatives will include blueberries, raspberries and cranberries.

8. Kale : Traditionally kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year.

Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus and broccoli.

9. Leafy Greens : Leafy greens are frequently contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food.

Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

10. Grapes : Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin.

Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include blueberries, kiwi and raspberries.

11. Carrots : Hooray!! In Europe pesticides commonly used on carrots, parsnips and onions will be banned within the next decade. The U.S. has yet to catch up with its European counterparts, so organic is the way to go with carrots.

Can't find organic? At least be sure to scrub and peel them. Safer carrot alternatives include sweet corn, sweet peas and broccoli.

12. Pears : As insects become more resilient to the pesticides used on pears, more and more chemicals are used. The safest bet is to go organic.

Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include grapefruit, honeydew melon and mango.

Although it has slipped off the most current version, America's popular spud appeared on the previous dirty dozen list. However, EWG analyst Chris Campbell points out that potatoes are now "just off the list," so you should still try to buy organic when possible. Potatoes also get the double whammy of fungicides added to the soil for growing.

Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage and earthy mushrooms.

And, in a change that surprises some, tomatoes have moved from the previous dirty dozen list to the EWG's most recent "clean" list of safest conventional produce. According to Chris Campbell, the researchers aren't sure exactly why this is the case. "It could be any number of reasons, It could be increasing awareness, better washing, substitution with better pesticides, changes in weather patterns or something else."

It's still true that the thin skin of tomatoes can allow pesticides to enter the fruit, so it's always a good idea to buy organic when possible, even if the popular food is no longer among the worst actors.

Can't find organic? You may want to consider peas, broccoli and asparagus.

If the cost of buying all organic isn't within your budget, don't freak out. I'll be posting the top 10 fruit and vegetables you really don't need to buy organically, because they are less likely to have pesticide residue. I hope this sheds some light on the Dirty Dozen of fruits and veggies. I always try to find my produce organically but I realize that times are tight and pockets are lighter, so we do the best we can. I welcome all comments and suggestions as always. Remember eat organically.