How to make smarter choices when buying your fruit and vegetables
Up until a few years ago I had never heard of the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen. My fruit and vegetables are dirty? Let me explain…
Every year EWG releases their list of the clean fifteen and dirty dozen produce. They update it to include the fruit and vegetables that have the most pesticides and the least sprayed on them so we can make smarter choices when we buy. Although EWG is an organisation based on testing in the U.S, agriculture practices may be different to here in Australia but we can still assume a lot would be similar.
You’ve probably heard about round-up and other pesticides in general, they keep those bugs off the produce and kill the weeds but they also do a lot of damage to us! Over time getting those small doses in our bodies can accumulate and lead to brain and nervous system toxicity, hormone disruption and other horrible things.
In a perfect world we wouldn’t even have to think about this, we wouldn’t have to use the word organic or dirty. But in a forever growing world and a demand so large they are modifying our crops and spraying them more than ever to make sure the shop shelves are full.
I know we can’t always make the perfect choice but I want you to keep these lists in the back of your mind when your shopping so you can make smarter choices for you and your family.
Dirty dozen 2021
1 Strawberries
2 Spinach
3. Kale, collard and mustard greens
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Cherries
8. Peaches
9. Pears
10. Bell and hot peppers
11. Celery
12. Tomatoes
Wash all your produce
In a solution of Apple Cider Vinegar and water
This year raisins were included, and it came out as the dirtiest food with the most pesticides for 2020! The average number of pesticides for conventional samples was 13%, even the organic samples had pesticides. Good bye raisins, I wont be buying you any longer.
As you can see a lot of these are fruit and vegetables have thin skin, meaning even though you peel them or wash them the residue is still going to be there. I know your thinking but these are all of my kids favorite fruits! Hang tight I will share some tips with you on this too.
Clean fifteen 2021
1 Avocado
2 Sweet Corn
3 Pineapple
4 Onions
5 Papaya
6 Sweet Peas Frozen
7 Eggplant
8 Asparagus
9 Broccoli
10 Cabbage
11 Kiwi
12 Cauliflower
13 Mushrooms
14 Honeydew Melon
15 Cantaloupe
As you can see the clean fifteen are all fruit and veggies with a thicker skin. The beloved and popular avocado is number one on the list, thought that would make you happy!
Wash all your produce. Yes even the clean fifteen and organic! You don’t want potential bacteria and any residue. I wash mine in a Apple Cider Vinegar solution with three parts water and one part ACV for 10-15 minutes, rinse and air dry or towel dry.
Shop seasonally. Eat whats ripe and available. This means that its fresher and will have a lot more of those good nutrients for us.
Go to your local farmers markets or local farmer and buy from them. This means fresher, riper and more nutritious produce and also supporting the smaller farmers.
Buy frozen If you cant get the dirty dozen foods organic. I buy most our berries frozen, I know its been picked ripe, its clean and I can eat them knowing I’m not getting a mouthful of toxins in the process.
Lists above are from Environmental working group.
Please note this information is intended as health education, it does not treat, cure or prevent disease.
Feel free to screenshot and keep handy next time your out shopping.