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TIDBITS

You'll Never Guess Which Fruits + Vegetables Are The Dirtiest (and Cleanest!)

  • Writer: Kate Karet
    Kate Karet
  • Jul 16, 2024
  • 1 min read


With summer in full swing, delicious produce abounds.


Markets and farmer’s markets are teaming with all kinds of beautiful fruits and vegetables. But some are grown with pesticides to control insects, rodents and weeds. And pesticides can have both short- and long-term effects on the body. Everyone will respond differently, but it’s possible to have skin or eye irritation, nausea and even issues with hormones, the nervous or endocrine systems.


The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit that focuses on research and advocacy to protect the environment and human health. Its mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. As part of its work, EWG annually ranks the dirtiest and cleanest fruits and vegetables.


This year, it studied over 47,000 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables to identify the lowest and highest amounts of produce with pesticide residue.

Here’s the list:


The Dirty Dozen 

  1. Strawberries

  2. Spinach

  3. Kale, collard, mustard greens

  4. Grapes

  5. Peaches

  6. Pears

  7. Nectarines

  8. Apples

  9. Bell + hot peppers

  10. Cherries

  11. Blueberries

  12. Green beans


The Clean 15 

  1. Avocados

  2. Sweet corn

  3. Pineapple

  4. Onions

  5. Papaya

  6. Sweet peas

  7. Asparagus

  8. Honeydew melon

  9. Kiwi

  10. Cabbage

  11. Watermelon

  12. Mushrooms

  13. Mango

  14. Sweet potato

  15. Carrots



Use this info to make more informed choices about what fruits and vegetables you buy, and maybe consider organic options for the dirtiest of the list.


Sources:

US EPA

IIN

Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce


 
 
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