The EWG publishes a yearly list of the produce that is the most heavily sprayed with pesticides and the fifteen crops that have the sprayed with the least amount of pesticides ! Good to Know !
Who is/are the EWG non-profit group?
"We're advocates who won't quit. We're scientists that find solutions. We're people trying to make the safest choices for our health. At the Environmental Working Group, we believe that you should have easy access to the information you need to make smart, healthy choices. It’s this belief that inspired our president and co-founder, Ken Cook, to create EWG "(source)
Lets take a look at this year's list Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen:
Dirty Dozen:
2023 Dirty Dozen- Grown with the most pesticides
2023 Clean Fifteen- Has lower amounts of Pesticides
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale, Collard & Mustard Greens
- Peaches
- Pears
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Bell & Hot Peppers
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Green Beans
2023 Clean Fifteen- Has lower amounts of Pesticides
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapple
- Onions
- Papaya
- Sweet Peas
- Asparagus
- Honeydew Melon
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Mushrooms
- Mangoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Watermelon
- Carrots
Pesticides, chemicals, and genetically modified seeds provide blemish free crops that look pretty, have a longer shelf life, but may not be heathy in the long run. I try to stick to organic when an item comes from the Dirty Dozen list!
I know that organic produce is expensive- but so is a long term illness. I try to buy organic when I can.
Organic produce is more reasonable from Trader Joe's, and I find a variety of frozen organic vegetables at Costco and BJ's. I do eat out in restaurants quite frequently and I know their salads and produce are not organic.
Did you know that there are actually many law suits that have received settlements. In Pennsylvania :" Pennsylvania Roundup Lawsuit - $11 Billion Settlement ReachedTosi Firmhttps://roundup.tosifirm.com"
Eat well, keep healthy, and enjoy!
What are your views on organic verses commercially grown produce? Do you think organic may be safer to eat?
My Notes: Information that I found online
Growers do use "natural" pesticides on organic produce which also needs to be regulated. According to USDA data, "organic foods have fewer pesticide residues than conventionally grown produce."
Cancers that may be caused by roundup
"Besides Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer, exposure to Roundup can also cause following cancer:" (source)
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Large B Cell Lymphoma
- Follicular Lymphoma
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma
- Mycosis Fungoides Lymphoma
- Burkitt Lymphoma
- 70+ Other Lymphoma
"Roundup is a popular residential and commercial weed killer made with glyphosate. Farmers, landscapers and agricultural workers have used it since 1974" (source).
