The Dirty Dozen
Have
you ever wondered why people keep referring to the dirty dozen in
relation to organic food? The term "dirty dozen" conjures images of
cowboys, old movies, and even fruits and veggies in cowboy hats and
gear!..Well, we are here to dispel the images and clear up what the
dirty dozen actually is.
The term Dirty Dozen was coined by the Environmental Working Group
(EWG), a non-profit research organization, and it refers to the top 12
Veggies and Fruits that contain the highest levels of pesticides. The
EWG has 2 organizational goals: research and educate the public on
health problems attributed to toxic contaminants, and replace federal
policies with policies that invest in sustainable development and
conservation. The Dirty Dozen list is based on pesticide tests run by
the US Department of Agriculture and FDA from 2000 to 2004.
According to the EWG, by avoiding the fruits and veggies on the list
you can reduce your pesticide exposure by 90 percent. While avoiding
all conventional fruits and veggies can be difficult the next best
thing is to go Organic with only items on the list. By choosing organic
you can ensure that you and your family are not being exposed to toxic
chemicals.
THE DIRTY DOZEN: In Order of Most Contaminated to Least
- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Lettuce
- Grapes-Imported
- Pears
- Spinach
- Potatoes
While the above list contains those with the most pesticides there
are produce that contain the least. Given organic can be expensive
there is conventional produce you can purchase and be safe. The 12
produce picks with the least amount of pesticides are: onions,
avocados, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, frozen
peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.
