Snow Farms Holistic Wellness

With these last two posts, “Worst 3 Foods” and “5 Key Elements” I figured I’d better give you a helpful resource that you can use to help you figure out which foods are awesome at the grocery store-in the produce section- and which ones you should avoid at all costs.

Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) looks at the most recent USDA data to compile its infamous Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists. Since 1993, the EWG has focused on old legislation, harmful ag practices, and loopholes that pose a risk to consumers’ health. 

The lists contain the most and least pesticide-contaminated conventional produce using data from the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. How exactly are these tested? What a great question! The USDA prepares the fruits and veggies like you would at home by washing them, scrubbing them, and then peeling them. The newest data included testing of more than 47,000 samples of produce!

The important thing to remember is that even though these foods are legal . . . it doesn’t exactly mean that they are safe  . . . especially those listed on the Dirty Dozen! Foods high in pesticides can cause many different health issues including hormone disruption, toxicity in different systems of the body, and cancer. Keep in mind that wee babes and kiddos are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure.

Keep in mind these statements when searching for fruits and veg for yourself and/or your family in your local grocery store or even better ask your local farmer what their ag practices are when you pick up food at the farmers’ market!

Let’s start with the Dirty Dozen. These foods are the top of the charts out of 46 that contained the most pesticides . . . if you must purchase these- look for organic or homegrown varieties!

The Dirty Dozen:

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, collard & mustard greens
4. Grapes
5. Peaches
6. Pears
7. Nectarines
8. Apples
9. Bell and hot peppers
10. Cherries
11. Blueberries
12. Green Beans

The Clean Fifteen:

1. Avocados
2. Sweetcorn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet Peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Honeydew Melon
9. Kiwi
10. Cabbage
11. Mushrooms
12. Mangoes
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Watermelon
15. Carrots

Is there something on these lists that surprised you? Which on the Dirty Dozen are you most sad about? I was surprised seeing blueberries on that list . . . looks like I need to figure out how to grow blueberries in my garden in Oklahoma! We have a bed of strawberries growing and they seem to be doing pretty good right now as we head into the heat of summer.

I have included a printable list for you to take with you grocery shopping so you don’t have to memorize this list!