- The Environmental Working Group has released the 2020 version of its annual Dirty Dozen list.
- Strawberries, kale and spinach continue to top the list of 12 different vegetables and fruits that have been found to contain the highest traces of pesticides used in commercial agriculture. The residue is often well below current safety guidelines, and experts continue to emphasize that vegetables (of any variety!) Are important.
- A follow-up report from the EWG also involves store-bought hummus and canned, packaged, and fresh chickpeas from a multitude of retailers.
Every spring, the Environmental Working Group (also known as EWG) publishes a list of fruits and vegetables that the nonprofit experts say contain elevated levels of pesticides that can be of concern. Now known as the Dirty Dozen list to health experts and informed shoppers, the list has long questioned conventional farming methods, especially since the EWG also publishes a competitive list called Clean Fifteen that highlights products that contain little or no pesticides when it is cultivated in a conventional way.
The Dirty Dozen list has been published every year since 2004, mostly compiled from internal observations based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which routinely tests produce samples for pesticide residues. This year’s pesticide contamination ranking considers 47 different fruits and vegetables based on more than 43,000 data points generated by the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration. Here are the 12 finds from the grocery store that, according to the EWG, had more waste than all the others:
The Dirty Food Dozen List of 2020:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potato
If you’ve been following the Dirty Dozen closely each year, you’ll notice that this year’s list is very similar to last year’s list – strawberries have again earned the top spot of concern for the fifth year in a row. Last year, kale made its way into the top 10 on the list for the first time in more than a decade due to new data suggesting that pesticide residues on this green leaf included traces of DCPA, a known herbicide under the Dacthal brand. This year, leafy greens, including spinach, were high on the list again.
While it is not officially listed because it is technically processed, the EWG also included a special report on raisinsas the USDA included raisins in its most recent pesticide residue tests. EWG experts say that 99% of the nearly 700 raisin samples tested positive for traces of at least two pesticides, and one sample had 26 different pesticides. “If we included raisins in our calculations, they would be number one in the Dirty Dozen,” said Thomas Galligan, Ph.D, an EWG toxicologist, in a news release. Raisins aren’t the only worrying store-bought snack on the EWG’s list.
Nearly four months after they released their initial annual findings, the group also followed up with a new report suggesting that hummus and chickpeas may also be contaminated by traces of pesticides, including organic varieties. Whole Foods Market’s original hummus was implicated as containing “15 times the EWG reference value” for glyphosate, a controversial herbicide used in Roundup; He also discovered traces in Sabra hummus, in addition to a few other varieties.
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This doesn’t mean that you should automatically eliminate all raisins or hummus from your diet, or anything on this list, in fact. Stefani Sassos, MS, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian with the Good Housekeeping Institute, says the EWG report can be scarier without understanding the context in which the research was conducted. Sassos’ experience in holistic cancer treatment has taught him that organic products can provide tangible benefits to most people, but it is important to emphasize that The dietary benefits associated with all of the produce on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list far outweigh any possible setbacks. Additionally, previous research published in 2011 suggests that the trace amounts of pesticides found in these vegetables and fruits are well below any federal limit – up to 1,000 times below the Environmental Protection Agency limit.
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Nearly 90% of Americans don’t get enough vegetables and fruits in their diet, according to 2017 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and these items contain essential nutrients like fiber, as well as complete sets of vitamins and minerals. Don’t let this list stop you from eating kale, strawberries, spinach, or any of the other staples altogether.
Why should you buy organic products?
The Dirty Dozen list might inspire you to shop smarter, even if you’re already trying to buy organic as much as possible. If you’re concerned about potential pesticides in your groceries (produce included!), Sassos says the USDA has developed strict rules and regulations to regulate organic foods. Anything bearing the USDA organic seal cannot be genetically modified and must also be grown in soil free of prohibited substances such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Buying organic versions of the vegetables and fruits on the Dirty Dozen list should eliminate any potential risks associated with potential pesticides. Furthermore, however, Sassos says that several studies (including this 2014 article published in the British Journal of Nutrition) have shown that organic products have significantly more antioxidant polyphenols than products that have been grown with conventional methods. These antioxidants can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, according to research, including cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Finally, Sassos says that organic farming methods used to harvest organic produce may also end up being more sustainable than conventional farming methods; Soil integrity is key here, as is a biodiverse environment, compared to pure production.
It’s true that fresh, raw organic produce can be more expensive than conventional options, and in some regions may not be available at all. A smart alternative is to look for frozen varieties, especially for the agricultural products that we see constantly every year, such as strawberries. “If fresh organic products are too expensive, frozen organic foods are much better priced and last a long time. Also, frozen products are usually picked and quickly frozen to their maximum nutritional value. Most frozen products can be more nutritious than fresh produce that has been in a truck during transport to the supermarket and then on the supermarket shelves for days (or even weeks), “says Sassos.
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The list of the fifteen clean of 2020:
On the other hand, this is an EWG list that we are very excited about! These conventionally grown agricultural products had the least amount of pesticide residues, and almost all contained only four or fewer pesticides. Almost 70% of these samples had no pesticide residues at all:
- Avocados
- Sweet corn
- Pineapple
- Onions
- Papaya
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Eggplant
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Melons
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Cabbage
- Sweet melon
- Kiwi
The bottom line: “At the end of the day, my personal opinion is that eating enough produce is the most important thing, regardless of whether it is organic or conventionally grown,” says Sassos. “Don’t let the dirty dozen list stop you from eating produce if it’s not organic – the nutritional benefits are still there and the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that produce is essential.”
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