The New “Dirty Dozen” & “Clean Fifteen” for 2021

The Environmental Working Group recently came out with its annual report of the cleanest and dirtiest foods. You’ve probably heard of the “dirty dozen” before. These are the 12 foods that contain the highest amounts of contaminants. Researchers suggest that you buy the organic versions of these foods and make sure to wash them well before eating. Annually, they test 46 foods and rate them by levels of contaminants.

There were a couple different items that made it to the list this year, such as collard greens (#3) and bell peppers (#10). For the most part, the same foods have remained on the list for awhile now. Something I found interesting was that it is no longer safe to assume that foods with a rind (or peel that you do not eat) are less concerning than those without. In testing tangerines, they found two fungicides in 90% of those tested that penetrated the peel, so the flesh of the fruit itself tested positive for fungicides. These fungicides are cancer causing agents that disrupt human hormones. 

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The Dirty dozen

Updated: 2021

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale, Collard and Mustard Greens

4. Nectarines

5. Apples

6. Grapes

7. Cherries

8. Peaches

9. Pears

10. Bell and Hot Peppers

11. Celery

12. Tomatoes

Clean Fifteen

Updated: 2021

1. Avocados

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapple

4. Onion

5. Papaya

6. Sweet peas (frozen)

7. Eggplant

8. Asparagus

9. Broccoli

10. Cabbage

11. Kiwi

12. Cauliflower

13. Mushrooms

14. Honeydew melon

15. Cantaloupe

Wait there’s more! 

The USDA found 115 different pesticides on last year's pepper crops. This is the most than any crop tested. Peppers along with oranges, apples, grapes, and cherries have often been contaminated with chlorpyrifos. These pesticides have been around since 1965. Millions of pounds of chlorpyrifos are used in the United States each year! Chlorpyrifos have been permanently banned in Europe.

These pesticides are actually neurotoxic, meaning they have a negative effect on the brain. They found changes in brain development of babies to adolescents. It seems like the developing brain is more severely affected, but it can affect adults as well. Chlorpyrifos were also found to have a significant effect on a fetus exposed to high levels of toxins in utero. In fact, chlorpyrifos were set to be banned in the US in 2016, after research showed the detrimental effects on babies and farm workers exposed to the neurotoxin.

The decision was overturned by the Trump administration. Some states have taken matters into their own hands. Hawaii banned the neurotoxin in 2018 and other states such as New York and California are working towards this as well. New York is looking to have it banned by this year. Chlorpyrifos will be placed on the federal action list (to protect public health) again this year; hopefully there will be some movement on the federal side into getting this neurotoxin banned for good.

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What can we do to stay healthy?

As we know, it's important that we eat a wide range of fruits and veggies. I try to buy organic when I can, but it's not always feasible to buy organic versions of everything on your shopping list. So here's a list of suggestions to eat healthy and smart. 

Wash your food thoroughly!

Whether you buy organic or not, you need to make sure you're taking the time to wash produce well. 

The FDA recommends washing your hands before handling food. Use running water to wash as well as a clean brush for food with rinds. You should still wash the outside before peeling fruit, as contamination can occur. Dry the produce with a clean paper towel or cloth. You should also remove the outermost layer of cabbage/lettuce.

Buy Organic when you can

Especially items on the dirty dozen list, make sure to look for the official seal.

Sometimes organic versions appear smaller and imperfect, but that's a good thing. Less pesticides and hormones are being used to harvest these items. You can often find cheaper organic options at stores that are known to carry organic options such as Trader Joe’s or Sprouts.

Visit your local farmers market or sign up for a CSA box (Community Supported Agriculture).

Farmers markets have a great variety of organic and seasonal fruits and veggies. You know you are buying from local farmers who use little to no chemicals or preservatives. CSA’s are great options, as everything is seasonal and sent to you on a regular basis. No need to shop for produce and you’ll be helping out local farmers in your community as well. Some offer delivery options too!

Buy seasonal fruits and veggies

When you buy produce that’s in season, there is usually a larger selection of items and it’s more cost effective too. You end up paying more money for produce that is out of season, which likely contains more chemicals used to grow and preserve them since these crops are not usually grown at that time. They may be shipped from other countries which likely uses fungicides to preserve their product.

Support policy changes

As researchers are testing pesticides and various chemicals to understand the long term effects on health, it's important to stay up to date with these changes. Policies come into effect on many different levels and there will likely be times to vote on measures in your  community and state. Keep in mind these changes in policy can affect not only your health, but the future generations of your family.

From an economic standpoint, if organic produce is what the consumer demands, it will eventually become the majority product. This means prices will go down for consumers and that farmers and their families will not be exposed to these harmful chemicals. Consumers still are a part of the problem as people have become more obsessed with beauty (overall look and presentation of foods) and wanting to have every type of fruit and vegetable available year round. When we have to ship food from other countries, the extra importing has a profound effect on our environment as well. We can make small changes today that will greatly affect our futures and our children's futures. Let’s try to do what we can!

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