Eating organic food can make a big impact on your health, since organic food is grown without fertilizers, pesticides, and synthetic additives, all of which add toxins to your body. Organic foods usually cost more than conventional, and with nationwide food costs rising, everyone’s looking for ways to keep their grocery budget in check. Processed junk food might seem cheaper than organic produce, but saving money doesn’t have to mean compromising healthy choices.

The Environmental Working Group maintains a list of the “Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen,” which are two lists of the fruits and vegetables that contain the most and the fewest pesticides and toxins. These lists can help you decide whether it’s worth spending extra money for certain types of organic produce.

Here’s this year’s “Dirty Dozen.” These are the foods you definitely want to buy organic because they test high in pesticides even after being washed:

• Strawberries
• Spinach
• Kale
• Peaches
• Pears
• Nectarines
• Apples
• Grapes
• Peppers
• Cherries
• Blueberries
• Green Beans

And here’s the “Clean 15.” These are foods that test lower in pesticides, generally due to their tough outer peels, husks, or shells that are removed before eating. If you’re watching your budget, consider choosing the non-organic versions of these foods.

• Avocados
• Corn
• Pineapple
• Onions
• Papaya
• Peas
• Asparagus
• Honeydew melon
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Mushrooms
• Mangoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Watermelon
• Carrots

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