03 May 2015 Dirty Dozen Foods
I try to buy organic when I can, but sometimes it can be difficult to find all the produce I am looking for in the organic sections at my local grocery stores. And when I do find what I am looking for, it sometimes comes with a price tag that makes me cringe when I compare it to the non-organic option.
Peppers, the Dirty Dozen Food List
Do you have a limited organic selection near you or have trouble affording organic produce? If that’s the case, you can save money and be healthier by focusing on the 12 most important foods to buy organic. Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes a handy shopping guide to help you easily answer that question and prioritize your shopping list. Their list of the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen foods will help you steer clear of those foods laden with the most pesticides and eat the cleanest diet you can.
Why choose organic?
Although organically grown foods don’t necessarily have higher nutrient levels, the more important factor is that they don’t contain a lot of harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and more. Research shows that organically grown crops do have significantly lower pesticide residues, as well as lower levels of toxins like cadmium, and choosing organic can lower your exposure to these contaminants.[1,2]
Pesticides in particular pose a significant threat to human health. They may be linked to endocrine disorders, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.[3-5] They could also be particularly be dangerous for children, as they may negatively impact development and could contribute to conditions like autism.
The Dirty Dozen
For 2015, the foods with the highest amounts of pesticides (the Dirty Dozen foods) include:
Apples
Peaches
Nectarines
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Spinach
Sweet bell peppers
Cucumbers
Cherry tomatoes
Imported snap peas
Potatoes
Some of these foods, like grapes and sweet bell peppers, contained 15 different types of pesticides in just one sample. Leafy greens and hot peppers also tended to have high levels of pesticide residues, and they are included on a Dirty Dozen Plus list.[6] About 99% of apple samples tested had pesticides, as did 98% of peaches, and 97% of nectarines.[6] Whenever possible, choose organic versions of these foods. Look for sales and comparison shop to find the best prices.
The Clean 15
The EWG also lists the 15 foods with the least amount of pesticides (the Clean Fifteen). If you’re on a budget, buy the non-organic versions of these foods.
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Cabbage
Frozen sweet peas
Onions
Asparagus
Mangos
Papayas
Kiwis
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Sweet potatoes.[6]
[1] Br J Nutr. 2014 Sep 14;112(5):794-811.
[2] Ann Intern Med. 2012 Sep 4;157(5):348-66.
[3] Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Apr 8;11(4):3870-93.
[4] Neurology. 2013 May 28;80(22):2035-41.
[5] Curr Microbiol. 2013 Apr;66(4):350-8.
[6] Environmental Working Group. Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce. 2015.