Dirty Dozen

No, I'm not talking about the movies, though growing up it was one of my favorites.  I am talking, however, about the fruits and vegetables that contain the highest concentration of pesticide chemicals.

According to an article on CNN Health, the list of the non-organic foods with the highest levels of pesticides is as follows:

The Dirty Dozen
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce

Not all non-organic fruits and vegetables have a high pesticide level. Some produce has a strong outer layer that provides a defense against pesticide contamination. The group found a number of non-organic fruits and vegetables dubbed the "Clean 15" that contained little to no pesticides.
The Clean 15
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions

Whenever possible, when shopping for fruits and vegetables on the Dirty Dozen list, it is advisable to purchase those that have been organically grown.  


Pesticides are chemicals used by farmers to help to prevent crop losses to disease and insects. As noted in a prior blog post, a particular type of pesticide, organophosphates, might be linked to neurological disorders such as ADHD.

A common misconception is that simply washing the produce will wash away the chemicals. Although washing of all fruits and vegetables is advisable to remove bacteria and dirt, washing does little to remove pesticides since they are typically easily absorbed through the skin of the produce.  In some cases, peeling can be somewhat helpful.

Kids are the most vulnerable to this chemical attack because their brains and bodies are still growing.  Pesticides, after all, are chemicals designed to kill.  Although the FDA claims that small amounts of pesticides are harmless, there are few long term studies available.

The moral of the story is to purchase organically grown produce when possible. There are some indications that people who eat organically grown foods can reduce their body contamination of pesticides by as much as 95% in just two weeks.

Keith Biggs, DC
www.eastmesachiropractor.com

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/01/dirty.dozen.produce.pesticide/index.html?eref=rss_health&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_health+%28RSS%3A+Health%29