Dirty Dozen / Clean Fifteen Foods
The Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen is a report generated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) listing the most contaminated and the least contaminated fruits and vegetables in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tests produce samples periodically. In 2014, USDA tests found a total of 146 different pesticides on thousands of fruit and vegetable samples. The pesticides persisted on fruits and vegetables, even after being washed and, in some cases, peeled. For more information and to download a handy wallet card to take while shopping, visit: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/index.php
The “Dirty Dozen”
These were found to be the most contaminated 15 fruits and vegetables, in order of most contaminated. Eat, buy or grow the following ORGANIC:
- Strawberries 9. Tomatoes
- Apples 10. Sweet Bell Peppers
- Nectarines 11. Cherry Tomatoes
- Peaches 12. Cucumbers
- Celery 13. Hot Peppers
- Grapes 14. Kale
- Cherries 15. Collard Greens
- Spinach
The “Clean Fifteen”
These were found to be the least contaminated conventional fruits and vegetables; okay to buy and eat conventionally (i.e. non organic) if not available in the organic variety.
- Avocados 9. Papaya *
- Sweet corn * 10. Kiwi
- Pineapples 11. Eggplant
- Cabbage 12. Honeydew Melon
- Sweet peas (frozen) 13. Grapefruit
- Onions 14. Cantaloupe
- Asparagus 15. Cauliflower
- Mangos
* A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from GE (genetically engineered, aka GMO) seedstock. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid GE produce.
