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Dirty Dozen vs. Clean Fifteen


EWG’s 2017 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce

The Environmental Working Group is an American environmental organization with a mission to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. They are dedicated to providing research and education to consumers to make us more aware of what’s in our food and environment, helping us make better choices to support optimal health. Yay!!

In 2017, the EWG evaluated tests done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finding a total of 178 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products on the produce sampled! On the bright side, organic farming prohibits things like pesticide use, therefore when possible try to buy organic foods. If you’re wondering what are the OTHER benefits of purchasing organic products, organic farming in Canada specifically prohibits the following:

  • Synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides

  • Synthetic fertilizers

  • Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

  • Ionizing radiation

  • Sewage sludge and septic waste

  • Growth hormones and antibiotics for animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products

  • Cloned farm animals and their descendants

Pretty awesome right? Although eating organic foods is ideal in supporting a reduced toxic load on your body (lowers risk of chronic disease), the costs can add up. Fortunately, the EWG has created an annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. The Dirty Dozen+ list are the fruits and vegetables that are most contaminated with pesticides – buy these foods organic if possible. The Clean Fifteen is a list of the fruits and vegetables with the least contamination.

 

THE DIRTY DOZEN +

  • Strawberries

  • Spinach

  • Nectarines

  • Apples

  • Peaches

  • Pears

  • Cherries

  • Grapes

  • Celery

  • Tomatoes

  • Sweet Bell Peppers

  • Potatoes

  • Hot Peppers

 

THE CLEAN FIFTEEN

  • Sweet Corn

  • Avocados

  • Pineapples

  • Cabbage

  • Onion

  • Sweet Peas Frozen

  • Papayas

  • Asparagus

  • Mangos

  • Eggplant

  • Honeydew Melon

  • Kiwi

  • Cantaloupe

  • Cauliflower

  • Grapefruit

 

If you’d like to learn more information you can visit the following websites:

  • https://www.cog.ca

  • http://www.ewg.org

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