"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.