Review the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables
Why This is Green
The Dirty Dozen is a catchy name the Environmental Working Group has given the twelve conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide levels—even after peeling and washing. The EWG says that by avoiding the Dirty Dozen—or eating organic versions of them—consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by almost 80 percent. They update the list yearly, basing it on tests for pesticides on produce collected by the USDA and the FDA.
Pesticide exposure has been linked in various studies to cancer, nervous system damage, and reproductive issues. Pesticides have been shown to cross the placenta during pregnancy. A study from the University of Washington (Seattle) found that preschoolers fed conventional diets had six times the level of certain pesticides in their urine as those who ate organic foods.
As a quick hint: the top 5 in 2011 were apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, and spinach.
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How To
Review the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list. Use it to guide your shopping habits.
Determine if you want—and can afford—to buy organic for the most contaminated fruits and vegetables.
If not buying organic, try reducing how often you purchase the most contaminated items and buy the least contaminated conventionally grown fruits and veggies instead.
Stick the Dirty Dozen list in your wallet to refer to when shopping.
Recommended Products
- iPhone App for Dirty Dozen from EWG
- Wallet-sized version of the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists
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