EWG stands for Environmental Working Group and they are “a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment.”   Their mission is “to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. With breakthrough research and education, we drive consumer choice and civic action.”

Every year the EWG puts out updated lists on the dirtiest produce and the cleanest produce available in the US.  The dirty dozen list is the produce you should buy organic if you are trying to avoid pesticides in your food.  The clean fifteen list is the produce you can buy conventional (and save money) because they have the lowest pesticide residue.  You should still wash all your produce very well before handling and/or eating.  See the 2016 lists below.

Also “The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to pediatricians when consulting with parents about reducing pesticide exposure in their children’s diets.”

* If you are trying to avoid genetically engineered (or GMO) crops, buy the organic varieties of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash.

See the full list here: ALL 48 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH PESTICIDE RESIDUE DATA

**All 48 foods are listed below from worst to best (lower numbers = more pesticides).

Look at the difference from 2015 to 2016 (see 2015 list below).  Strawberries went from #11 to #1 on the dirty list!  All the EWG’s data comes from the USDA testing and Pesticide Data Program.  “USDA tests found that strawberries are the fresh produce items most likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues, even after they are picked, rinsed in the field and washed before eating. ” If you would like to read more about how your strawberries are grown, check out this article: Pesticides + Poison Gases = Cheap, Year-Round Strawberries

Links to both 2016 lists can be found in my ‘Resources’ tab at the top of the page https://floridadietitian.com/resources/