The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15
Buying organic food at the grocery store can be expensive. Sure, it’s worth it. But can you afford it? That’s the question I ask when I’m shopping.
The Environmental Working Group is an American non-profit focused on research and advocacy in the areas of food and drinking water safety. They periodically issue warnings and alerts about food and water issues, and I find their article interesting.
But what I’ve found most helpful is EWG’s pocket guide to organic (clean) and to less safe (dirty) foods. It’s a guide to which foods are most susceptible to pesticides and chemicals that pose a health risk, and which foods are “safer” to buy because, while not necessarily organic, are free from, or protected from, those pesticides and chemicals.
On their Clean Fifteen list are avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, onions, eggplant, cauliflower and cantaloupes. If these foods aren’t available as organics, non-organics are a safe alternative. For the Dirty Dozen, strawberries, kale, apples, tomatoes and spinach rate as foods you should always buy organic. These foods are most prone to absorbing chemicals and pesticides. If your food budget is limited, don’t skimp on buying only organics of the twelve listed in the guide.
EWG’s pocket guide is a great companion for shopping at the grocery store. It’s small (about the size of a credit card), sturdy (I use mine a lot, and it’s still in great condition), and an excellent quick reference.
To find out more, or to get your free pocket guide, go to the Environmental Working Group website http://ewg.org/
