Tuesday, June 12, 2012

"The Dirty Dozen" and "The Clean 15"


Patients often ask us whether or not it is really necessary to buy organic fruits and vegetables. The Environmental Working Group has put together a shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce. The guide consists of two lists: “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Clean 15”. The commercial foods on “The Dirty Dozen” are ones that tend to be the most contaminated with pesticides and should be purchased organic when possible.  On the other hand, the foods on “The Clean 15” are ones that tend to have the least amount of pesticides on them and are usually just fine to consume when commercially farmed (nonorganic).

“The Dirty Dozen” buy these organic
1- Apples
2- Celery
3- Strawberries
4- Peaches
5- Spinach
6- Nectarines – imported
7- Grapes – imported
8- Sweet bell peppers
9- Potatoes
10- Blueberries – domestic
11- Lettuce
12- Kale/collard greens

“The Clean 15” lowest in pesticides
1- Onions
2- Sweet Corn
3- Pineapples
4- Avocado
5- Asparagus
6- Sweet peas
7- Mangoes
8- Eggplant
9- Cantaloupe - domestic
10- Kiwi
11- Cabbage
12- Watermelon
13- Sweet potatoes
14- Grapefruit
15- Mushrooms

For more information, go to The Environmental Working Group’s website: www.ewg.org/foodnews