2024 Dirty Dozen List
The Environmental Working Group’s dirty dozen list is a list of the 12 fruits and veggies that have been tested and have been found to have the highest amounts of pesticide residue on them. This list comes out every year along with the clean 15 list. If you are wanting to start removing unnecessary chemicals from your diet to improve your health, the dirty dozen list is a simple and easy place to start. When shopping at the grocery store or farmers market, make sure to buy these 12 fruits and veggies in organic form, even when buying frozen.
EWG’s Dirty Dozen List
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale/Collard and Mustard Greens
Grapes
Peaches
Pears
Nectarines
Apples
Bell and Hot Peppers
Cherries
Blueberries
Green Beans
What Does Organic Mean
According to usda.gov produce is called USDA organic if it has been grown on soil that has not been treated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for the last three years. Just to restate that, to be labeled organic a veggie can not have been treated with a synthetic pesticide, but non-organic veggies can. To kill bugs and weeds, conventional farmers use synthetic pesticides.
Importance of Buying Organic for Your Health
Pesticides are linked to so many health issues. If you do a quick google search you will see words and issues like cancer, leukemia, allergies and endocrine disruptors. Personally, when I cut out conventional produce, started eating organic and cut out processed chemicals, my hormone levels evened out and my acne cleared. So, even just from my personal experience I know there is something to it. According to the EWG, the most frequently found pesticides on produce from the dirty dozen list are fungicides. Fungicides are applied to fruit and other items to prevent mildew and are even applied after harvest to keep mold from growing. Studies show that these fungicides are linked to cancer and thyroid issues. One specific study of Fludioxonil, a widely used fungicide, showed that it had an increasing effect on tumors, by about 2.5 times in mouse studies and other studies also show that it is linked to health issues in boys, that can be the cause of male infertility.
Another reason it is important to eat and purchase organic produce is because pesticides and herbicides can be endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are any agent that interferes with the endocrine system. The endocrine system and its glands produce hormones in your body. This includes the pituitary gland, also known as the master gland, and the thyroid gland. The book The New Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford says that hormone imbalances can cause major problems in your body potentially leading to sickness and disease. Because hormones can be made from parts of the food you eat, diet plays a significant role in regulating them. For example, certain pesticide residues found on conventional produce can mimic hormones, causing an excess or disrupting the signals, confusing the body. If you are eating foods that are saturated in pesticides and herbicides then it is very likely that those foods will affect the function of your endocrine system. In my case, this caused a pituitary tumor. Other potential side effects can range from eczema to infertility. From my experience, when I cut out synthetic pesticides and started eating organic produce, dairy and meats, my endocrine system started to function better, my hormone levels balanced out and my pituitary tumor shrunk. Eating organic helped to heal my body.
Lastly, it is important to buy organic because it reduces the toxic load on your body. We are exposed to all kinds of toxins, many that we can not control and because of this our bodies are constantly detoxing and using energy to metabolize them. Detoxing is a natural process in the body but when it is overloaded by toxins then health issues can start to arise. By removing the toxins that you can, like in produce, you are giving your body the space and ability to heal and function properly.
How to Start Eating Organic and Cleaner Foods
The easiest and most simple place to start when you want to switch to eating organic foods, is right here with the EWG’s dirty dozen list. When shopping purchase all of these items organic and you will significantly reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals. I also have another way you can get started and even dive deeper into clean eating. My new Clean Eating E-Book, walks you through what clean produce, dairy, meat, eggs and more, at the grocery store. How to have clean water and a cleaner, non-toxic kitchen, it provides a shopping list and a list of ingredients to avoid in processed foods. It is the perfect beginners guide to clean eating and from now until 4/1/24 it is 50% off with code EASTER2024.
As always, if you have any questions or need any help please feel free to reach out at nourishedmommaandco.com or on social media @nourishedmommaandco
*This is not medical advice, the information in this post and on the Momma & Co. website is only meant as educational information.