Strawberries and spinach top the " dirtiest " produce on the Environmental Working Group ’s 2024 sordid Dozen list .
There ’s a respectable reason we say to wash all your produce : Pesticides care to hang on ! The Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , a non - profit organization , has released its2024 Dirty Dozenlist . The list distinguish the fruits and veggie most contaminated with residuum from pesticide , concord to research from theU.S. Department of Agricultureand theFood and Drug Administration , analyse by EWG , and roll up in the organisation ’s annualShopper ’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce .
Of the 46 fresh produce items analyze , strawberry and spinach ranked as the top two “ pestiferous ” foods available for purchase , and kale ( along with table mustard and collard greens ) came in third , the same as in 2023 .
Credit:BHG / Andrea Araiza
BHG / Andrea Araiza
EWG’s Dirty Dozen
accord to theEWG report :
The 2024 Dirty Dozen List
Each food on the list tested positive for pesticide residues , with the gamey amount of money of pesticides of the 46 yield and vegetables tested .
How to Use the Dirty Dozen List
You should n’t whole eliminate the yield and veggies on the Dirty 12 listing from your diet . The EWG recommends buying constituent produce when you could , which is produce using few pesticides .
group such as theAlliance for Food and Farmingdebate themethodology used by EWG , and expert point out that , no matter the intellectual nourishment , eating slew of fruits and vegetablesis always a healthy option . Only one in 10 Americans eats the recommended amount of fruit and veg in a day , so do n’t let this lean dissuade your consumption . Rather , apply it to help you consider when to buy constitutional ( if possible ) and to make a more informed determination at the market store .
Whatever produce you buy , you shouldthoroughly washall fruits and veggies before eating them — even if they ’re organic — as a simple rinse may not get rid of lingering pesticides . Washing help remove some of the residues from non - constituent produce . If you want to be especially deliberate , you’re able to also learn togrow your ownfruits and veggies to furtherreduce your consumptionof the harmful chemical found on some of these foods .
Credit:BHG / Andrea Araiza
EWG’s Clean Fifteen
Alongside the muddy Dozen , EWG also supply a yearly Clean Fifteen inclination . The inclination evidence which fruits and veg had the lowest amount ofpesticide residues .
The 2024 Clean Fifteen List
It ’s important to mark that both the Clean Fifteen and Dirty 12 list rank fruit and vegetables base on the number ofpesticideresidues found . Neither includes bacterium present ( which can really add upwhen shoppers handle produce at the grocery stock ) . So , no matter which list your favorite fruit or vegetable is on , go forrader and wash it well before eating .
Credit:BHG / Andrea Araiza
