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The 12 Most Toxic Fruits & Veggies
| May 3, 2010 | |
| Jo Wehage : Head Operations Ego |
Did you know you could reduce your pesticide consumption by 80% if you avoid the top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables? The good people at Environmental Working Group (EWG) have just come out with their 2010 list which ranks 49 of the most popular fruits and vegetables and ranks them according to pesticide residue content.
Dr. Andrew Weil, who is featured in a short video on EWG’s site, reminds us that pesticides are toxins that are dangerous to our nervous system, upset endocrine function and “may” (that’s for the lawyers) increase the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
The Dirty Dozen
The top 12 on the list are referred to as the Dirty Dozen and working to substitute or always make an organic choice on those top 12 will reduce your consumption by nearly four-fifths.
So without further ado, the toxic produce to make you say, “ewww”:
- Celery (the worst)
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Nectarines
- Bell Peppers
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cherries
- Potatoes
- Imported Grapes
It’s worth noting that nearly all the studies on which the guide is based tested produce “after” it had been rinsed or peeled.
You’ll want to strive to buy the organic version of these 12 foods or replace them with an item on the Clean 15 (the 15 least contaminated). And you don’t even have to memorize them. The lovely folks at EWG have seen fit to create a handy-dandy downloadable wallet guide for your shopping empowerment.
New for the 2010 List
Shocking and sad to me is the ranking of my tried and true blueberry. Once much lower on the watch list, it has been creeping up year by year and this year blueberries shot into the dirty dozen to take the #5 spot. Oh the humanity!
I will have to lessen my grip on the 3lb bag of frozen blueberries that was such a stable when shopping at Sam’s. The price on organic berries don’t often come close to the non-organic varieties, so keep your eyes peeled there!
Congratulations to lettuce, carrots and pears, which all fell off the Dirty Dozen list this year, though not too far (#13, 15 and 17, respectively).
Besides blueberries, the other two new-comers to the toxic party include potatoes and spinach.
Shoot! Spinach is another staple in my house. Thankfully, organic spinach is relatively easy to find and can be competitive to the non-organic varieties. Have you seen the deal at Sam’s? $3.97 for a large 1 lb container of organic baby spinach.
What are your best shopping options?
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[11 Comments] [11 Comments]
Awesome! Thanks for the great info!
I will print this out and make note of it. I usually just go ahead and buy organic no matter what; but at times we slip. What do you think of using Fit wash to clean off the pesticides?
Hi Tami!
Good question. I’ve heard pros and cons of Fit Wash. I also had an M.D. tell me his research indicated that just a touch of dish soap helped as well.
GREAT INFO — BUT CELERY #1 — YIKES. MADE 3 COPIES OF THE “SHOPPER’S GUIDE” I’M SURE KENNY WILL BUY ORGANIC – OH YEAH.
These lists drive me nuts. Breathing air “may” result in lung cancer or toe cramps. Talk with doctors or FDA and find out what levels of the pesticide residues are dangerous to humans. When you find fruits and vegetables with levels ABOVE that, THEN put out lists with some real facts.
Or be paranoid. Eat nothing that you don’t grow yourself.
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your comment. All kidding aside, I think breathing air in the Ohio River Valley may unfortunately be part of the issue as well. Cancer rates in our city are routinely higher than other U.S. cities. I don’t know any doctors that are well versed on pesticides, but if it makes you feel any less nuts about the list know that it is based on an analysis of 96,000 tests for pesticides on these foods, conducted from 2000 to 2009 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug Administration. Also, since pesticide toxins cumulate in tissues I wouldn’t wait for one serving to rank at a level that one governing body deems unsafe to humans.
I agree that it can be frustrating and easy to fall victim to gloom, doom and paranoia if you let yourself. It’s my hope that folks will at least note the top 12 on the list and either buy organic or make another choice. I personally find the fact that doing that alone can reduce 80% of pesticides consumed on produce empowering.
Jo,
Thank you Jo for the well reasoned response. It’s much more diplomatic than mine
. I work in the food manufacturing and I see the years of studies that go into getting a new chemical lining approved for a tin can, pesticides to keep your fruits healthy & free of bugs, fertilizers that allow you to eat food that may costs 2X or 3X otherwise, and preservatives that let you eat fresh food long after it would normally make one sick.
We have the healthiest and most inexpensive fruits and vegetables in the world due to the hard work and years of studies that come before approving any chemical used on food before it’s used. And I am happy to feed my children celery, spinach, and strawberries (when I can get them to eat them…). I’m tickled pink that, thanks to modern farming, these are available year round to eat.
For the record, “naturally” occurring substances that can grow and infest non-treated food make a scary list too. But, like the studies you’re quoting, hard facts about the true health effects of increased E. Coli or listeria contamination on organic foods are not out there.
I have no issues with people eating “organic” foods—some people can afford them. And it gives them peace of mind. But I sincerely doubt that the negative effects of eating the delicious and healthy foods listed above outweigh the benefits. But you’re 100% right, these fruits and veggies “may” cause all kinds of health problems someday for people eating them.
Roger!
Wow.. Roger, you must work for the agrobusiness industry eh?
Our factory farms are a travesty. All this “Green Revolution” has stripped our soil and poisoned our environment.
All we get is acres upon acres of industrial CORN and SOY.. not diverse locally grown produce.
That is what the “green revolution” created. An Illusion.
Monsanto, is one of the LEADING companies that has contributed to the degradation of our food quality. They are creating Franken GENETICALLY MODIFIED foods (that have NOT been adequately tested) and are harrassing small farmers all over the world so Monsanto can dominate our food production system!
It is a travesty.
Don’t drink the koolaid. Our agricultural food system is precariously situated right now for a huge fall, which will probably lead to shortages and starvation. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!
I suggest researching PERMACULTURE and BIODYNAMIC agriculture for alternatives…. and we need to lower the cost of foods.
No more corn and soy subsidies to big Farms!….
This is propaganda by organic farmers. I don’t have anything against organic food, but your should know what you are buying. Here are a few points that were left out so the reader would assume otherwise:
1) Organic foods also contain pesticides. The only requirement is that the pesticide not be man made. This also means that the pesticide is not nearly as effective as man made pesticides. So it may take 7 treatments of an organic pesticide to be as effective as 2 treatments as a man made one. Remember, many things are toxic; it is the dose that makes the poison.
2) Organic pesticides are not tested for their toxicity and how long they persist. The incorrect assumption has been that something natural is safe and man made is not. But this is not true, natural poison will kill you just as synthetic poison will.
3) The USDA study samples included organic foods. See page 8 of the latest Pesticide Data Program (year 2008). “Samples are selected without regard to country of origin, variety, or organic labeling.” So organic foods are included.
4) Look at the tables of data in the report. If pesticides are found they are often 100 times lower than the amount that is absolutely considered safe.
You can find the USDA’s report on their website. Google: usda pesticide data program
Oh – that’s rich. Propaganda from organic farmers? The data was an analysis from the FDA and the USDA. So am I to surmise that organic farmers have taken over these government agencies? Well, I feel better already.
If samples were selected without regard to the items you mentioned, that’s unfortunate. I’d bet the percentage of organics was miniscule at best.
Good to know. Celery is the worse offender!