UPDATED FOR 2011
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has just released its 2011 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce — an update to the helpful guide that makes you aware of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed produce. This way you can make the wise choices when shopping for fruits and vegetables, avoiding pesticides and saving money at the same time.
Apples are now at the top of the Dirty Dozen list, being the heaviest in pesticides.
Cilantro has made it onto the full list for the very first time. Testing by federal scientists found 33 unapproved pesticides on 44 percent of the cilantro samples tested — the highest percentage of unapproved pesticides recorded on any item since EWG started tracking the data in 1995.
Mushrooms make their first appearance on the Clean 15.
Dirty Dozen & Clean 15 Produce List
Since my budget does not allow me to buy everything organic, I simply pick-and-choose, trying to make the best choices for me and my family. By choosing only fruits or veggies from the Clean 15 list, rather than from the Dirty Dozen list, I can lower my family’s intake of pesticides by up to 92%. Now that’s great news to me!
Download the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides PDF or view the Full List of 53 Fruits & Veggies.
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EWG recommends that you choose organic when buying items from the dirty dozen list whenever possible. And I do so as much as I possibly can. Though I use a fruit and vegetable wash no matter if I buy, organic or not. This cleans any dirt and/or wax off of the produce quite well.
As far as the wash removing pesticides; it may remove some residue from the outside of the fruit/vegetable, but remember that they were sprayed/dusted multiple times throughout their growth so there is no getting rid of any pesticides within them. You can buy a veggie wash at your local market or make your own.
Homemade Veggie Wash
- 1 Tbsp. Fresh Organic Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp. White Vinegar
- 1 cup Filtered Water
Mix together in a spray bottle. Spray on your fruits and vegetables and scrub/rinse.
Dr. Weil on EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides
Video: How to Buy Organic Produce
TODAY SHOW – Pesticides Linked to ADHD in Kids
[...] list or avoid them completely in restaurants. We have an article that explains this in more detail, Organic Produce: When is it Important to Buy?, which includes a link for the pdf or free iPhone [...]