They discovered that by switching to organic produce for the foods listed on "The Dirty Dozen" list can "reduce the amount of toxins you consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent." I'm not sure about you, but I'm all for not being a walking chemical factory. Americans already consume 6-9 pounds per year of chemicals. That's not including what we absorb through our skin. That's something kind of sobering to think about, isn't it?
In addition to "The Dirty Dozen" list, the EWG put together another list called “The Clean 15". This list is meant to help you, the consumer, know when to buy organic and when it is unnecessary. These lists were compiled using data from the United States Department of Agriculture on the amount of pesticide residue found in non-organic fruits and vegetables after they had been washed. Click "here" to learn more about the EWG and their newly published Shopping Guide.
According to the EWG: "The fruits and vegetables on “The Dirty Dozen” list, when conventionally grown, tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67. For produce on the “dirty” list, you should definitely go organic — unless you relish the idea of consuming a chemical cocktail." [According to little ol' me- I generally prefer the taste of organic produce so unless it's an emergency situation, I just always buy organic. After switching over to an almost fully organic and non-GMO diet, I noticed that food just started tasting better, and my veggies tasted veggier and my fruits tasted fruiter. TSM noticed the same thing as well regarding taste. There you have it- I just made up two new words! And you thought you were only going to get recipes and knowledge from me.]
“The Dirty Dozen” list includes: (this means buy these items ORGANIC)
- Celery
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Domestic blueberries
- Nectarines
- Sweet bell peppers
- Spinach, Kale & Collard Greens
- Cherries
- Potatoes
- Imported grapes
- Lettuce
- Green Beans (just recently added)
“The Clean 15” list includes: (This means you can purchase NON-ORGANIC versions of these veggies if you so desire)
- Onions
- Avocados
- Sweet corn
- Pineapples
- Mango
- Sweet peas
- Asparagus
- Kiwi fruit
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
- Grapefruit
- Sweet potatoes
- Sweet onions
**information for this page was gathered from The Environmental Working Group's website.
Here and also here. **
This page written by: KaceyCooks- KEC
No comments:
Post a Comment
Nothing makes me happier than people who have thoughts, comments, ideas or questions to share. I look forward to reading all comments and encourage you to leave one...or more. I only ask that you keep it clean and abide by the Golden Rule.