The Dirty Dozen

I have gathered the following information from a well regarded healthy living cook book that I call my bible. The title is The Balanced Plate by Renee Loux. This is a fabulous resource and has provided me with an extraordinary amount of useful health information.

Eating organically grown food is a clear, intelligent and delicious choice. Finding and affording only organic food can be tough. So, do the best you can! Certain foods are definitely worth the extra money and effort (or worth avoiding altogether if organic is not available). The list below contains the “dirty dozen” and are those foods which are contaminated with the highest amount of pesticides and chemicals. Even washing and peeling doesn’t get rid of the toxins. The research used to compile this list was based on extensive independent studies run by the FDA and USDA for more than 100,000 samples of food. The chemical pesticides detected in these studies are known to cause cancer, birth defects, nervous system and brain damage, and developmental problems in children.

1. Meat: Beef, Pork, and Poultry: The EPA reports that meat is contaminated with higher levels of pesticides than any plant food. Many chemical pesticides are fat-soluble and thus collect in the fatty tissue of animals. Animal feed that contains animal products compounds the accumulation, which is then directly passed to the human consumer. Antibiotics, drugs and hormones are standard in the meat industry, which are accumulated into the tissue of the animal and then passed on to the consumers. Ocean fish carry a higher risk for heavy metals than
pesticides, though many fresh water fish are exposed to high levels of pesticides from contaminated water.

2. Dairy: Milk, Cheese, and Butter: For reasons similar to those for meat, the fat in dairy products poses a high risk for contamination by pesticides. Animals concentrate pesticides and chemicals in their milk and meat. Growth hormones and antibiotics are also serious concerns and are invariable found in commercial milk, cheese and butter.

3. Strawberries, Raspberries and Cherries: Strawberries are the crop that is most heavily dosed with pesticides in America. On average, 300 pounds of pesticides are applied to every acre of strawberries (compared to an average of 25 pounds per acre for other foods). 36 different pesticides are commonly used on strawberries, and 90 percent of strawberries tested register pesticide contamination above safe levels. Raspberries trump strawberries with the
application of 39 chemicals: 58 percent of the raspberries tested register positive for contamination. Cherries have 25 pesticides applied with 91 percent contamination. If you can’t find these organic – AVOID! Frozen, organic varieties are easy to find in most grocery stores.

4. Apple and Pears: With 36 different chemicals detected in FDA testing, half of which are neurotoxins (meaning they cause brain damage), apples are almost as contaminated as strawberries. 91 percent of apples tested positive for pesticide residue. Peeling apples reduces some of the chemicals, but does not eliminate all. Pears rank dangerously near apples, with 35 percent pesticides and 94 percent contamination.

5. Tomatoes: It is standard practice for more than 30 pesticides to be sprayed on conventionally grown tomatoes. The thin skin does not stop chemicals from infiltrating the whole tomato, so peeling is not an advantage.

6. Potatoes: They rank among the most contaminated with pesticides and fungicides. 29 pesticides are commonly used, with 79 percent of potatoes tested exceeding safe levels of multiple pesticides.

7. Spinach and other Greens (lettuce, kale, chard, etc.): The FDA found spinach to be the vegetable most frequently contaminated with the most potent pesticides used on food.

8. Coffee: Most coffee is grown in countries where there is little to no regulation on the use of chemicals and pesticides on food. The U.S. produces and exports millions of tons of pesticides, some of which are so dangerous they are illegal to use on American soil. Foreign countries import these chemicals to cultivate food, which is then sold back to the U.S. Coffee is an unfortunate culprit in the vicious cycle. It is important to look for both organic and fair trade coffee. Purchasing “Fair Trade” coffee provides insurance that the premium price paid
for this treasured beverage supports farms and workers fairly.

9. Peach and Nectarines: 45 different pesticides are regularly used on peaches and nectarines in conventional orchards. These also have thin skin that does not protect the fruit from the chemical. 97 percent of nectarines and 95 percent of peaches tested for pesticide residue show contamination from multiple chemicals.

10. Grapes (Especially Imported): Because grapes are a delicate fruit, they are sprayed multiple times throughout the different stages of growth. Imported grapes are even more heavily treated than those grown in the U.S. Several of the most poisonous pesticides banned in the US are still used on grapes grown abroad. Chile showed the highest concentration of the most poisonous chemicals.

11. Celery: 94 percent of celery tested was found to have pesticide residue in violation of safe levels.

12. Bell Peppers (red and green): Bell peppers are one of the most heavily sprayed foods, with standard use of 39 pesticides.