Hello everyone! In this week’s blog post, I will be talking about the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. Should you follow the EWG’s list, or should you not?
What is the Dirty Dozen?
The Dirty Dozen is a list of twelve crops that farmers tend to use the most pesticides on, therefore it is suggested to buy them organically.
What are the Clean 15?
The Clean 15 is the list of produce that supposedly has the lowest amount of pesticides, therefore does not need to be purchased organically.
Evidence That We Should Follow The Dirty Dozen
There are mixed feelings about whether or not to follow the two lists. The EWG or the Environmental Working Group creates the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list each year. They get their evidence from the United States Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program which analyzes the amount of pesticides in produce. There is solid evidence that suggests amounts of harmful pesticides in the dirty dozen. For more detailed information, you can read the EWG’s 2021 summary here: CLICK HERE
Evidence That We Shouldn’t Follow The Dirty Dozen
Here is a direct quote from the Huffington Post: “‘The pesticide residues are such a tiny amount of risk compared to the huge amount of benefit we would all get if we ate the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables,’ says geneticist Anastasia Bodnar, policy director of Biology Fortified Inc., a nonprofit that fosters conversation about issues in food and agriculture.” Some researchers say that there are more benefits to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, organic or not, than worrying about pesticides.
Conclusion
So, should you follow the lists or not? Based on the EWG’s research it looks like it wouldn’t hurt to purchase the Dirty Dozen produce organically. It is up to your budget and the risks you are willing to take.
Sources: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dirty-dozen-food-list-fruits-vegetables_n_5b437dfae4b07aea75428eee
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php