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.
