The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15

I saw organic bananas in the produce section and wondered, “Why would I buy organic bananas if I’m just going to peel them anyways?  Wouldn’t all the bad chemicals be on the peel? Which fruits and vegetables should I be buying organic?”. Then, the other morning as I was hitting the snooze button on the alarm for the umpteenth time, a news story came on KOMO news-radio about the “Dirty Dozen and Clean 15”.  The Dirty Dozen are the top twelve fruits and vegetables that had the highest pesticide residue, meaning you should buy these organic or grow them yourself.  The Clean 15 are fruits and vegetables that had little to no traces of pesticides and don’t need to be bought organic.

The Dirty Dozen –

  • Apples
  • Celery
  • Sweet bell peppers
  • Peaches
  • Strawberries
  • Spinach
  • Nectarines (imported)
  • Grapes
  • Lettuce
  • Cucumbers
  • Blueberries (domestic)
  • Potatoes

The Clean 15 –

  • Onions
  • Sweet corn
  • Pineapples
  • Avocado
  • Cabbage
  • Sweet peas
  • Asparagus
  • Mangoes
  • Eggplant
  • Kiwi
  • Cantaloupe (domestic)
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Grapefruit
  • Watermelon
  • Mushrooms

To read the full article, go here. .

2 comments

  1. I’m VERY allergic to apples. It didnt start until i moved down south. I can eat it cooked and apple sauce. Should I be able to eat an organic one?

    • Hmmm, that might be a question for an allergy doctor. If you are allergic to apples, then I’d say you can’t eat organic apples either. If you can eat cooked apples, then at least you can still have apple pie!

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