Living in Austin, we have a lot of choices for organic foods. Whole Foods is headquartered here, Sprouts has come to town and other grocery stores have added more organic choices.
So with a growing number of consumers being more conscious of the food they buy and what’s in it or on it I thought you’d like to see the Environmental Working Group’s latest look at what it calls the “Dirty Dozen”.
The EWG analyzed 50 of the most popular fruits and vegetables for nearly 96,000 different pesticide residues between 2000 and 2008. A few weeks ago it updated its results to include a minimum of 100 pesticide tests between 2000 and 2009. Most of the items were washed or rinsed, the way people typically treat their fruits and vegetables.
Here’s a look at what the group found. These are the fruits and vegetables EWG says are the worst offenders, the ones it says you should always buy organic.
The Dirty Dozen
- Celery
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Nectarines
- Bell Peppers
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cherries
- Potatoes
- Grapes (imported)
According to the EWG’s findings, “You can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoiding these 12 fruits and vegetables.”
“When you eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, you’ll be exposed to an average of 10 pesticides a day. When you choose fresh produce from the 15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables, you’ll consume fewer than 2 pesticides per day.”
Here’s a look at the 15 items EWG says are the lowest in pesticides:
The Clean 15
- Onions
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapple
- Mangoes
- Sweet Peas
- Asparagus
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
- Grape Fruit
- Sweet Potatoes
- Honey Dew Melons
You can print out a list to take with you to the store here.
