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New Dirty Dozen and Clean 15
As a Environmental Working Group (EWG) supporter, I get an exclusive first look at their 2010 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides, the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list. Enjoy!
Click here to download a printable guide.
Here is a great video by Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned medical expert on natural health and wellness, telling us us why and how he uses the Shopper?s Guide to Pesticides.
Why Should You Care About Pesticides?
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.
What?s the Difference?
EWG research has found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the Dirty Dozen list consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat from the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.
Will Washing and Peeling Help?
The data used to create these lists is based on produce tested as it is typically eaten (meaning washed, rinsed or peeled, depending on the type of produce). Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.
How Was This Guide Developed?
EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 96,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2008 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at our dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.
Re: New Dirty Dozen and Clean 15
Thanks!
I don't buy much organic, but this will help me to focus my purchases where they count the most. I'm printing it for my wallet.
Thank you! We're going to try growing our own bell peppers this year. DH loves them, but they seem so expensive (even in conventional).
It looks like potatoes are new to the list.
Aw, man! And just when I was coming here to post this adorable cheat sheet (based on the "old" dirty dozen/clean 15):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mypapercrane/4541373052/
Yeah that's what conventionally grown celery makes me think of too. I always buy celery organic. I looonng for when celery is available at the Farmer's Market, it is SO GOOD. It's like a completely different vegetable, so full of flavor. I wonder if I can freeze it...
Yup blueberries are new. I'm not surprised they're on there, if you look at the list they're mostly soft-skinned fruits and veggies where you eat the skin. Of course onions and avocados would have less pesticides, you don't eat the skin.
ETA: CuteBoots, I remember watching an EWG video awhile back that said potatoes were #13 on the most pesticide list in 2009, so they just got moved up this year.
You can chop and freeze for use in stews and soups, but it can't be frozen and eaten raw (it goes pretty mushy because of high water content).
My mom grows it. I can't be bothered. That space could be growing much more tastey produce. I am planting a fairly large potato crop this year.
Also, i choose organic corn (even if conventional is low in pesticides) to avoid GM.
Best sound ever: baby's heartbeat! (Heard @ 10w1d)
A tip -- i have the list saved as a text in my phone. That way i always have it. And if someone else wants it, i just hit send.
Best sound ever: baby's heartbeat! (Heard @ 10w1d)
That's awesome. Since I don't carry a purse, I was wondering how I would carry it with me. Thanks!
Not caring about missing RSVPs because there aren't any rocks!
It's available as an iPhone app
http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php
Downloaded. Thanks!
Not caring about missing RSVPs because there aren't any rocks!
I wish they had an app for Droids. One of these days I'm going to track down a .pdf reader that's decent and just keep them on my phone that way.
Are grapes new? I don't remember what the old list was. I bought some Muscat grapes the other day at the store that weren't organic (guilt) and that were from Chile (guilty) and now I see that they're on the list (guiltier).
That's what I get for trying to eat more fruit and giving into my craving for grapes, even though I knew I shouldn't.
Grapes were on there before - if imported.
I have the iPhone app but not sure if it has been updated with this new list yet.
Oh and about celery, my sister used to always say that she hated celery because it made her tongue feel funny and it tasted weird...turns out that was just conventional celery. She doesn't have those issues with organic.
Celery tastes like soap.
Thanks for posting SG!
Hmm...one of these days I should actually read the EWG emails.
(I get waaay too much email, so I've been deleting all of the newsletters/recipes/etc. or else my inbox becomes overwhelming.)
That is so cute!
Nope, I just checked and it's the same.
This also reminds me that I still haven't found organic celery seeds for my garden. I need to look this weekend...
http://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-celery-seeds.html
We bought all our seeds from them this year and they're doing really well.
they were #15 on the old clean 15 list. this one just came out this week so a lot of stuff changed.