The Dirty Dozen

Each year since 2004 the non-profit organization The Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes a list of fruits & vegetables - known as the Dirty Dozen - shown to contain elevated levels of pesticides.  This list is determined by experts at EWG based on data collected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is noteworthy that the data reflects pesticide levels after fruits & vegetables are washed.

The Dirty Dozen list is meant to be a guide when shopping for produce. These items tend to have the most residue from pesticides when grown conventionally due to their irresistibility to bugs.

Below is this year’s Dirty Dozen list.

Don’t let this list discourage you from shopping in the produce section of your grocery store. Look for organic fruits and vegetables identified by this label.

The DIRTY DOZEN:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale/Collard and Mustard Greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Bell and Hot Peppers
Celery
Tomatoes

No need to be disappointed if your favorite fruit or veggie is on this list. As stated earlier look for organic options in your grocery store’s produce section. Plus, bear in mind that the pesticide residue levels found on items in EWG’s list are well below federal guidelines. If organic produce is not available, just be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming.

Keep an eye out for more health and fitness tips like this.

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