The ‘Dirty Dozen’ & ‘Clean Fifteen’ Lists: What are they & how do we use them?
It’s a well-known fact that fruits and vegetables are a key part of any healthy diet. However, the use of potentially harmful pesticides is also well-known, as is the fact that many crops still contain these pesticides, even after they have been washed, peeled and/or scrubbed. As the degree of pesticide contamination is different depending on the fruit or vegetable in question, it’s helpful to know which are the most and least contaminated, so that we are able to make better and more informed choices about what we eat. When you are trying to "eat for health" and avoid unnecessary toxins and overall unwanted 'nasties' in your diet, this information can be a real help.
WHAT ARE The ‘DIrty Dozen’ & ‘Clean fifteen’?
Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) compiles its ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean Fifteen’ lists, which outline the fruit and vegetables that tend to be grown with the most and least pesticides, respectively. As such, when it comes to buying our food, these lists can help us decide when it makes sense to opt for organic options, and when we can safely go with non-organic.
Every year, the EWG compiles its ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean Fifteen’ lists, which outline the fruit and vegetables that tend to be grown with the most and least pesticides.
The EWG rankings are based not only on the percentage of samples with pesticides but also on the number and amount of pesticides on all samples and on individual samples. Some of the results really are quite disturbing, for example, up to 20 different pesticides were identified within a single sample of kale, collard and mustard greens!
While this information is based on fresh produce sold in the US, it still provides useful guidance to the rest of the world as it becomes evident, year after year, that certain produce is more prone to retaining pesticide residue than others, and this often has to do with the way the fruit or veggie is grown (in the ground vs on a tree, for instance), and what kind of natural protection it has from its outermost layer.
When it comes to buying our food, these lists can help us decide when it makes sense to opt for organic options, and when we can safely go with non-organic.
In Europe there is generally stricter regulation of the use of pesticides, but they are certainly in use. Some countries may have their own research-derived lists. For example, Pesticide Action Network UK has this version of the Dirty Dozen list.
THE 2021 LISTS
THE DIRTY DOZEN
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard and mustard greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Bell and hot peppers
Celery
Tomatoes
It’s important to remember that frozen forms of the Dirty Dozen fruit and veg still contain high levels of pesticides, just like their fresh counterparts.
THE CLEAN FIFTEEN
Avocados
Sweetcorn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Eggplant
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kiwi
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Honeydew melon
Cantaloupes
Not surprisingly, the Clean 15 list tends to include produce that has a husk, shell or tough outer peel that is removed before eating, thus suggesting that fruit and veg that has its own ‘armour’ is better protected from the risks of pesticide use.
When you are trying to "eat for health" and avoid unnecessary toxins and overall unwanted 'nasties' in your diet, this information can be a real help.
HOW DO WE USE THESE LISTS?
So what do these lists actually mean for us “in real life”? What are we to practically do with this information?
For starters, it’s important to clarify precisely what these lists do and do not tell us. They do tell us which crops tend to be treated with the most pesticides (in terms of both volume and variety). They do not draw conclusions about which of these crops are the most dangerous when it comes to people’s health.
Fruit and veg have a key role to play in healthy nutrition and “eating for health” in general. Eating a non-organic apple will always be an overall healthier option than eating a packet of crisps.
In short, this doesn’t mean we cannot or must not eat the items on the Dirty Dozen list, nor does it mean that we can only eat the organic versions of them. Also, on the flip side, ‘clean’ does not mean that the produce was grown without pesticides, simply that no residues are present.
Fruit and veg have a key role to play in healthy nutrition and “eating for health” in general. Eating a non-organic apple will always be an overall healthier option than eating a packet of crisps, or drinking a carton of sugar- and preservative-laden fruit juice. Quite logically, the issue of frequency also has a role to play – if you eat a non-organic version of something from the Dirty Dozen list on a daily basis and in large volumes, then it makes sense that you are at a greater ‘risk’ of pesticide-exposure than if you eat it only occasionally.
The most important thing is to think of these lists, not as a black and white rule book on what to eat and what to avoid, but rather, as a guide to help with your purchasing decisions.
The most important thing is to think of these lists, not as a black and white rule book on what to eat and what to avoid, but rather, as a guide to help with your purchasing decisions. Use them to help you decide which fruit and veg to prioritise for buying organic, and which you can safely budget on and go for a non-organic option.
For further details on the results of the EWG’s testing and on the methodology behind how the lists are determined, have a look at the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
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