Choose Your Produce Wisely

Choosing Your Produce Wisely

Say goodbye to pesticides! The EWG - Environmental Working Group - has two convenient lists to help us determine which produce items have more pesticides and which are cleaner when we don’t always have access to organic ingredients.

Why does the Clean 15 matter?
The Clean 15 offers a breath of fresh air to anyone concerned about pesticide exposure. These fruits and vegetables test the lowest in terms of pesticide residue. This resource can help you make informed decisions when choosing non-organic produce. 

CLEAN 15

avocados
sweet corn
pineapples
onions
papaya
sweet peas - only frozen
asparagus
honeydew
cabbage
kiwi
mushrooms
sweet potatoes
carrots
watermelon
mangoes
(broccoli gets an honorable mention, since it was recently added but is not as clean as the others)

What are pesticides?
Pesticides are chemicals commonly used in modern agriculture to kill pests and weeds - but there’s a huge downside. Pesticides have been linked to a wide range of health issues including headaches, nausea, and even more severe cases of reproductive problems and cancer.

The Dirty Dozen identifies twelve fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticide residue. It’s based on testing done by the Department of Agriculture and the FDA.

DIRTY DOZEN

strawberries
spinach
kale/collard/mustard greens
nectarines
apples
blueberries
grapes
cherries
peaches
pears
bell/hot peppers
green beans

Genia’s Spoon Me Tips

Keep in mind that the Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables are sprayed with a lot of pesticides. Unless you are growing them yourself, I highly suggest purchasing organic. 

Much Love,
Genia