RESPONSIBLEorganics The Dirty Dozen VS The Cleanest Twelve
or should you buy local produce that’s traveled 10 miles but may have traces of pesticides?
A
Why Should You Care About Pesticides On Your Foods?
Among the scientific community,
there’s a growing consensus that even small doses of pesticides and other chemicals found in fruits and vegetables
Environmental Working Group's
PESTICIDES in PRODUCE
n interesting dilemma: should you buy organic produce that has trav- eled 3,000 miles from California
can adversely affect people’s health. The more scientists learn about the toxicity of pesticides, the more questions are raised about their potential toxic effects. Because toxic effects of pesticides are not well understood and completely studied, shoppers are wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible. While washing fresh produce may reduce levels of pesticides, it does not entirely elimi- nate them. Peeling may reduce exposure, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the peel. The best solution is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce,
and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
What’s the “Dirty Dozen”? According to Environmental Work-
ing Group, an environmental, non-profit watchdog group, a studied simulation of thousands of consumers eating high and low pesticide diets showed people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent by avoiding the top 12 most contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables would expose a person, on average, to about 15 pesticides per day. Eating conventionally grown, 12 least contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to less than 2 pesticides per day. The philosophy behind the “Dirty
Dozen” guide is simple: give consumers the information they need make choices to reduce exposure to pesticides in their diets. To answer the question poised at the
DIRTY DOZEN CLEANEST 12 BUY THESE ORGANIC
PEACHES APPLES
SWEET BELL PEPPERS CELERY NECTARINES STRAWBERRIES CHERRIES PEARS
GRAPES (IMPORTED) SPINACH LETTUCE POTATOES
24
ONIONS AVOCADO
SWEET CORN (FROZEN) PINEAPPLES MANGO ASPARAGUS
SWEET PEAS (FROZEN) KIWI BANANAS CABBAGE BROCCOLI PAPAYA
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LOWEST IN PESTICIDES
beginning of the article – what’s the best choice organic or local? - there isn’t an easy answer. Even though most locally grown produce isn’t certified organic by the USDA, small, local farms may not have the need to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides that the big, conglomerate owned farms are dependent on to ensure crop yields. Local growers may also have the added advantage of years of experi- ence with local soil conditions, weather patterns and will only grow produce sea- sonally instead of forcing crops. Farmers you meet at local Farmer’s Markets are usually happy to answer questions about their farms and growing conditions. You can also find local produce at many area grocery stores, as well, if you start to make a practice to seek it out.
For reference as of February, 2007: “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables
– these are recommended to always buy organic (or local if you know the
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