There's no single "cleanest" vegetable, but avocados, onions, and sweet corn are consistently ranked lowest for pesticide residue on the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Clean Fifteen list, meaning they're great conventional choices if you're worried about contamination. For maximum nutrients and natural cleanliness, leafy greens like spinach and kale, broccoli, and asparagus are packed with vitamins and antioxidants, with asparagus also acting as a prebiotic, while beetroot supports heart health.
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1. Spinach. Spinach is a leafy green vegetable and a great source of calcium, vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. Due to its iron and calcium content, spinach is a great addition to any meat- or dairy-free diet.
These fifteen foods showed little to no pesticides or toxins, and are considered generally safe to consume in their non-organic form.
These 15 types of produce had the lowest amounts of pesticide residues of all 47 types sampled, according to EWG's analysis of the most recent USDA data.
Hold the fruit or vegetable under flowing water in a strainer. This removes more pesticide than dunking the produce. The FDA does not recommend washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash. They have not been proven to be any more effective than water alone.
But Dr Andrew Weil has done the research come up with a list of 19 foods that you don't have to buy organic.
Nightshade vegetables, like peppers, potatoes, and eggplant, are are controversial, because many claim they can cause inflammation, according to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietician. This can lead to some pretty serious complications down the line: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, to name a few.
Why they're a problem: One in 5 samples of domestic, conventional blueberries had residue of phosmet, an OP pesticide that the Environmental Protection Agency considers a particular risk to children. Key takeaway: Conventional frozen blueberries also posed a very high risk.
While there's no single "number one," blueberries are widely considered top contenders for the healthiest fruit due to their high antioxidants (anthocyanins) that boost brain, heart health, and reduce inflammation, with other berries, avocados, and oranges also ranking high for vitamins and healthy fats. The best approach is a varied intake of fruits, with berries, citrus, and nutrient-dense options like avocado providing broad benefits.
1. Almonds. There you have it — the humble almond can be considered the most nutrient-dense food on the planet. Used to the spotlight by now, almonds have been at the center of multiple studies on heart health and diabetes-related benefits.
The brinjal was given the title of King of Vegetables because of its astonishingly awesome purple covering, and also the juicy and rich nutritional values in them.
For example, dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients, so they're a great choice. But don't forget about other veggies like carrots, tomatoes, and peppers – they're all good for you in different ways.
More than 80 percent of pineapples, papayas, asparagus, onions and cabbage had no pesticide residues. (Note: Some papayas are GMOs. Choose organic to avoid that.) No single fruit sample from the Clean Fifteen tested positive for more than four types of pesticides.
These items are examples of what might be considered in a clean diet:
Blueberries May Cause Digestive Issues
While blueberries are generally considered to be a healthy food, they can sometimes cause digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea. If you eat too many blueberries, you may experience stomach pain or cramping.
Key Takeaways. Blueberries need thorough cleaning due to the natural waxy coating that traps dirt, bacteria, and pesticide residues. Cold, running water while gently shaking them in a colander effectively removes most—but not all—of these contaminants.
A bag of frozen fruit or vegetables will often be higher in nutrients and stay fresh until you are ready to heat and eat. Try frozen berries year-round for a surge of antioxidants and vitamin C.
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
Testing found the highest levels of pesticides in spinach — with more pesticide residue by weight than any other produce tested — followed by strawberries, kale (along with mustard greens and collards), grapes, peaches, cherries, nectarines, pears, apples, blackberries, blueberries and potatoes.
Starchy vegetables (e.g. potatoes, corn) and acidic vegetables (e.g. tomatoes, bell peppers): this combination is believed to lead to digestive discomfort and potential acid reflux.
Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the highest pesticide-contaminated foods and one of the easiest fruits to purchase organic. It's easy to find organic strawberries with a similar price point in the produce section and the frozen foods aisle.
EWG's 2025 “Dirty Dozen,” or the 12 fruits and vegetables were most contaminated with pesticides, are:
The "USDA Organic" seal also tells you that a product is 100% organic or made with at least 95% organic ingredients. Products with 70-94% organic ingredients cannot use the USDA Organic seal, but they can be labeled "Made with Organic Ingredients."