Do you hear that vegans? Your vegetables are dirty!
Well, in this instance it's kale.
According to an analysis by the Environmental Working Group, kale has joined the list of 11 other fruits and vegetables known to be "dirty."
The group publishes its "Dirty Dozen" list annually, where it ranks the 12 produce items that contain the "highest amount of pesticide residues," by analyzing data from the Department of Agriculture's regular produce testing.
Also on the list are strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery and potatoes.
"We were surprised kale had so many pesticides on it, but the test results were unequivocal," said EWG Toxicologist Alexis Temkin in a release.
According to the report, more than 92 percent of kale had residue from at least two pesticides after washing and peeling the appropriate vegetables. Some had up to 18. Almost 60 percent of the kale samples showed residual Dacthal, a pesticide that is known as a possible human carcinogen, CNBC reports.
However the EWG doesn't want you to be scared of the green stuff.
"The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure," EWG Research Analyst Carla Burns said in a release.