When considering food thought in terms of nutritional value, should I eat an apple or a package of chips? In terms of health, the best option would, of course, be the apple. But what we don't see is the pesticides covering that red fruit and our other "organic" healthy foods.

Apples are placed in the bracket called "The Dirty Dozen." This title classifies food based on the amount of pesticide residue found on it. While we are encouraged to wash our food, the pesticides are distributed "systematically," meaning it takes root in the plant, so no amount of washing can remove it all. This eventually enters our digestive system and we are exposed to these harmful chemicals. Systemic pesticides now account for 60 percent of our dietary exposure.

Recent studies compiled the list of the top dirty dozen foods:

12 Most Contaminated Foods:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

These are foods we find daily in the grocery store, and campus dining facilities, making them the easiest options to grab and eat. We are unknowingly eating chemicals that account for cancer, hormone disruption, and are known carcinogens. Spinach has been researched to have different pesticides, including five linked to cancer; 45 residues are found on apples, including 16 linked to hormone disruption; and peaches and pears have the most pesticides found in baby food.

Why is this happening when society is constantly demanding food without synthetic chemicals? It is hard for consumers to find organic foods that are budget friendly, and readily available. Also, it is cheaper for big named farmers to continually produce genetically modified foods -- known as GMOs -- since they have longer shelf lives, they look "prettier" in grocery stores, and can be sold at a cheaper price than organic foods. Government regulations are loose in the sense that there is a high amount of pesticides allowed in foods, and there isn't a consistent check on the pesticides used by farmers. The result is a constant toxic flow of pesticides in our food.

What does this mean for us? What is considered too much exposure to these pesticides? What can we do about it?

There has been no true amount determined by scientists as to what is too much exposure, since each food contains an unprecedented amount that is hard to calculate. It starts with acknowledging the source of these dirty foods, and choosing to limit the amount eaten. It also means focusing on eating what is in season. Eating foods not in season means they have been shipped from other countries, such as Mexico or Puerto Rico, increasing the amount of pesticides needed to keep the food fresh until it is placed on the shelves. Here is the list of the least contaminated foods:

12 Least Contaminated:

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

The pesticides impact not only us as we eat them, but the environment and communities they are used in as well. For example, farmers that use fumigant pesticide (used to prevent weeds and fungi in the soil) inject it into the soil. Once in the soil, groundwater picks it up and travels long distances from the farm into local communities. This affects the citizens of those areas, as the freshwater becomes tainted, becoming unusable in their day to day lives. It destroys the environment as bees are killed from ingesting the toxins, fish interact with the contaminated water, and the community as a whole becomes infected.

What can we do about it? As stated before, it starts with being aware. Making the choice of not eating an apple a day may keep the doctor away as you limit your pesticide exposure. Also, make the conscious decision to buy organic produce from local farmers. Local farmers promote pesticide-free food, it keeps the money in the local economy, and it is your vote that you aren't standing for the use of toxic chemicals. Being an advocate for the local farmers, telling legislators that there needs to be stricter laws on the amount of toxic chemicals in our foods, as well as providing information on what is in our foods giving us the power to take back our health.

We are in charge of what we put into our bodies, and how we take care of our planet. Being informed of where our food comes from is important for our health and affects our everyday lives. Ban the dirty dozen, and understand that we are in charge of the future—we are in charge of the food system.