Tasty looking, huh?

Hold up a second.

Before you put that in your mouth, there’s something you should know.

That little sucker might very well be loaded with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and even highly toxic gas residuals.

Yep.

They’re actually little toxic bombs that likely contain chemicals that are even banned in most other countries.

This one happens to be organic, so it’s pure delicious goodness–it’s the conventionally grown ones you have to watch out for.

Did you know that there’s an awesome organization that actually takes the time to analyze and compile vital data on the foods we eat?

Not just any old information, but real useful info for people like you and me who eat food, and care about what’s in it.

Every year, the Environmental Working Group does an in depth analysis of the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables to determine their pesticide, chemicals and toxic load. Then they issue their findings known as the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen.

These have been my go-to lists when shopping for years, and they just issued their 2016 findings last week.

THE DIRTY DOZEN

This is the list of the 12 “dirtiest” fruits and vegetables.

In other words, after being picked, treated, and washed, these twelve STILL pack the highest concentration of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or other highly toxic chemicals.

Even after being washed.

You read that right.

That veggie wash you bought so you could remove the pesticides on your apples? Sorry, but it’s not gonna help you on this one.

Some of these chemicals and pesticides are even banned in most other countries because they are known carcinogens, and/or endocrine disruptors.

So, these are the guys I ALWAYS buy organic. Period.

If your favorite fruit or veggie isn’t on this list, before you get too excited, you should mosey on over to their website and check out the expanded list here.

Now, before you feel too bummed, you should know that the EWG also publishes a list of the Clean Fifteen.

THE CLEAN FIFTEEN

These are the 15 fruits and veggies that are the cleanest even when conventionally grown.

I was relieved to find that avocados topped the Clean Fifteen list because I have yet to find a steady supply of organic haas avocados that are delicious enough for my discriminating palate. 🙂

A word on corn though: 

Corn grown conventionally is a crop that has become increasingly genetically modified. In this case, its DNA has been changed so that it is resistant to certain pests at a cellular level. When these pests eat the corn, their “stomachs” implode and they die. That sounds an awful lot like a pesticide to me. But in this case, it’s in every part of the corn. It can not be washed off. Ever. 

If you believe the propaganda, it’s perfectly safe for humans, even though NO long-term studies have been done, and there’s compelling evidence on the contrary.

And there’s growing evidence that this GM bt corn is contributing heavily to the decline of butterflies and the bees.

No thank you.

Corn is one of those crops I buy organic OR Non-GMO Certified. Period.

If we, as consumers, really make an effort to choose organic when shopping, not only can we have confidence that we’re feeding our selves and our families unaltered and unadulterated foods, but we send a clear message to the farmers as well:

We’ll pass on the frankenfoods, thank you very much. And please stop poisoning the environment, our bodies, and the beneficial pests that keep our ecosystem in balance.

Together, we can make a difference.

So, to make this convenient for you, I leave you with this:

FREE PRINTABLE of the DIRTY DOZEN and CLEAN FIFTEEN

Now, the next time you’re out shopping, take these with you. Consider it my gift to you. You’re welcome. 😉

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION:

Do Pesticides Actually Affect Us?

If you’re wondering whether it really matters if you ingest pesticides or not, here’s an awesome video (less than 2 minutes long) of a family who actually decided to see if eating conventional produce made a difference to their bodies or not. They had full lab tests before and after.

Additional Resources on Organic Foods, Pesticides and GMOs:

You can check out the full list of the Clean 15 here.

And a more detailed look at the EWG’s 2016 Report findings here.

The EWG website is an AWESOME resource that covers everything from baby foods to produce, and lots of products in between. I recommend checking out their website more thoroughly, or at least visiting it, and book marking it, or pinning it to your Pinterest board, if you have one. 🙂

Pesticides and food, workers and the environment: https://www.panna.org/food-farming-derailed/food-field-fork

Why strawberries top the list of the Dirty Dozen in 2016: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/press.php

Documentaries on GMOs:

Genetic Roulette:
This is a compelling film with hard facts and extensive research on the affects on health. There’s a reason GMOs are banned in many other countries. 

GMO OMG:
It all started with a man who became a father, and had questions about the safety and health of GMOs. This award winning documentary is a must see. 

I’ll add to this list as I go along and share more resources here, so you might want to bookmark this page or pin it on Pinterest. That way you’ll have it to refer back to later!

What did you think of this blog post? Did I miss anything? Do you have anything you’d add to it? Let me know in the comments below!

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