Here’s A List Of Vegetables And Fruits That Are The Most And Least Treated With Pesticides To Help You On Your Next Grocery Trip
Over the last few years, many Americans have been hearing a lot about the use of pesticides for produce and how dangerous they can be.
There is a lot of information out there, and many people and health enthusiasts will try to tell you the best thing to do regarding limiting your intake of pesticides.
But, at the end of the day, something you can do is ease up on the produce that is often most treated with pesticides or be extra careful about washing them before eating them.
Thankfully, the Environmental Working Group (EWA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to constant research on American agriculture, their 2024 report on the produce most and least treated with pesticides may help you on your next shopping trip.
The EWA’s “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” 2024 report lists their “Dirty Dozen” produce, the 12 most contaminated with pesticides.
According to the EWA, after conducting their research, a little over 200 types of pesticides were found on their Dirty Dozen produce.
So, which produce items are in the Dirty Dozen’s top five? Can you take a guess?
Coming in at number one are strawberries, followed by spinach, greens (kale, collard, and mustard), grapes, and peaches.
Some other produce items under the Dirty Dozen list include apples, cherries, blueberries, and green beans.
irishmaster – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
The EWA also stated that 95% of the Dirty Dozen samples contained pesticides.
While this list may seem grim, there is some hope, as, besides their Dirty Dozen list, the EWA also has a “Clean Fifteen” list, which states the 15 types of produce that had the lowest amounts of pesticides.
Avocado toast and guacamole lovers will be pleased to know that the beloved green avocado is number one on the Clean Fifteen list.
Following avocados are sweet corn, pineapple, onions, and papaya. Other yummy produce like watermelon, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and kiwi are also part of the Clean Fifteen.
Interestingly, according to the EWA, 65% of the Clean Fifteen produce had no detectable pesticides on them, and the ones that did test positive had no more than three pesticides.
You may now be wondering what you should do with this information. Does it mean you should stop eating strawberries and live off avocados? No!
While, yes, cutting back on the produce from the Dirty Dozen may help you eat less pesticides, you don’t have to cut it out completely. After all, you need to eat your greens!
When you buy produce, especially the produce on the Dirty Dozen list, you need to give it a good clean when you get home.
One of the best ways to clean your produce is to thoroughly hand wash it under clean, running water. There’s no need to use soap.
Which kind of produce are you most surprised to see on the Dirty Dozen list?
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