Summer is the best time to enjoy fresh and local fruit and veg. We love the ripeness and juiciness of produce at their peak season. In recent years there has been a lot of literature discussing the benefits and hazards of pesticide use on crops. While the use of pesticides allows farmers to have higher yields from their crops, they have also been linked to various health issues with long-term exposure. They also have serious effects on the environment.
Each year the EWG puts out a list of the “Dirty Dozen” for that given year. You might have heard that phrase before, but what does it mean? Well, the Dirty Dozen is the twelve fruits and veggies that have the highest level of pesticide residue. What we recommend is if you have the opportunity, buy the organic alternative of these foods, grow them yourself, or buy them from a transparent source like a farmers market. We recognize that not everyone has these options and if you don’t, as always, do your best and don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect - there is no such thing!
Here are the EWG’s 2021 list of the dirty dozen:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard and mustard greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Bell and hot peppers
Celery
Tomatoes
Next: The Clean 15! These are the fruits and veggies that have the least pesticide residue and you can buy whatever is commercially available to you!
Here is the list:
Avocados
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Eggplant
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kiwi
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Honeydew melon
Cantaloupe
For your reference and additional reading, check out these articles listing the benefits and risks of pesticide use.
Link to EWG's Dirty Dozen article
Link to EWG's Clean 15 article
Link to the Pesticide Action Network's article about pesticide's environmental impact
Link to PMC's article about the impact of pesticides in agriculture
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