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Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen Foods List 2019
Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen Foods List 2019
Being aware of what is in the food we eat is extremely important to me. I realise that not everyone shares my views but I wanted to make this information available so that you can make up your own mind. If you don't know, you can't make an informed decision.
Being aware of what is in the food we eat is extremely important to me. I realise that not everyone shares my views but I wanted to make this information available so that you can make up your own mind. If you don't know, you can't make an informed decision.
As we are all now aware, some of us painfully, our bodies are under a lot more strain from the many pollutants all around us which simply weren’t there when I was a child (a long time ago). We also know that the stress from our busy lives is very detrimental to our wellbeing and unhealthy food can stress the system even further. For the younger generation I feel it is even more critical as they have been exposed to all this ‘progress’ for most, if not all, of their lives sometimes resulting in toxic overload.
I believe that I am 100% responsible for my own wellbeing and that small changes can have a big impact. Therefore if there is anything I can do to keep myself healthy, that is reasonable to achieve, I’m in.
Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) which is a non-profit organisation based in the USA, publishes a list of the "Dirty Dozen," fruits and vegetables that their research shows has the highest amount of pesticides when grown conventionally. I could not find an up to date UK equivalent but looking back at recent UK statistics it paints a very similar picture. Also, as we import so much of our produce, I’m guessing that these figures are fairly accurate for the UK too. At the very least, its food for thought. pun most definitely intended.
Since 2004, the EWG has compiled the list annually based on their internal data. The actual intake and risk of consuming pesticide residue isn’t assessed.
All the food samples are washed and peeled before they are tested yet each fruit/vegetable can still contain traces of up to 62 different pesticides. More shockingly, this is still below safety guidelines.
Using 40,900 samples for 47 different types of produce, the EWG found that this year the following twelve had the most pesticide residue:
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes
Strawberries rank number one for the fourth year in a row and the rest of the list looks similar to previous years with one exception. Kale made the top 12 for the first time in a decade.
Fortunately for us Brits, organic spinach and organic kale are readily available in many supermarkets (even Lidl has organic spinach) and they are not much more expensive than the pesticide soaked varieties. Organic peaches on the other hand are a lot more expensive and hence not that easy to find. I have to say that when I spend £2.50 on three organic peaches I feel very virtuous however I am aware that others may think I’m completely bonkers.
If you want to buy organic produce and can’t find them in your local supermarket, ask for them, they are in the business of making money and they want yours, they don't want you going to Waitrose. I was in Sainsbury's the other day and they had sold out of organic celery. When I enquired they told me that they keep ordering more and more and still running out!
Buying organic isn’t just better for our health (in my opinion) it also has a beneficial impact on the environment. We can’t wait for governments to act, we have to vote with our money, our purchases demonstrate our values. Money talks.
However if you don’t want to shell out for organic produce then there is always the clean fifteen.
However if you don’t want to shell out for organic produce then there is always the clean fifteen.
The Clean Fifteen
The Clean Fifteen
I'm sure you will be delighted to learn that The Environmental Working Group also publishes a list of the Clean Fifteen. Hoorah!
This is the produce from conventional growers that generally had a lot less pesticide residue in the group's tests. On the right is the list of the least contaminated fruit and vegetables for 2019:
1. Avocados
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Frozen sweet peas
5. Onions
6. Papayas
7. Eggplants
8. Asparagus
9. Kiwis
10. Cabbages
11. Cauliflower
12. Cantaloupes
13. Broccoli
14. Mushrooms
15. Honeydew melons
As I said earlier, what you do with this information is entirely up to you. You may decide to trust that Government Standards are sufficient or you may want to go and give your local supermarket some grief… and take back all their plastic packaging while you are at it! Or better still, grow your own.
As I said earlier, what you do with this information is entirely up to you. You may decide to trust that Government Standards are sufficient or you may want to go and give your local supermarket some grief… and take back all their plastic packaging while you are at it! Or better still, grow your own.
If you want more detailed information about the UK you may wish to visit the following websites:
If you want more detailed information about the UK you may wish to visit the following websites:
- The Pesticide Action Network at www.pan-uk.org/our-food/
- There is also a UK Government Expert Committee on Pesticide Residue in Food (PRiF) who publish annual independent reports however I couldn't find one more recent than 2017. Their website address is www.gov.uk/government/groups/expert-committee-on-pesticide-residues-in-food-prif
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