“Eat more fruit and veg” we are told, but is it as simple as that?
You have probably heard that phrase repeatedly throughout your life. I know I certainly have. And that was long before I became an online nutritionist. It was drummed into me as a kid growing up in the UK. Coming from a rather poor family we generally ate whatever veggies were in season and to a lesser extent some fruit on occasion.
But according to research conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in the USA, not all fruits and veggies are created equally. Whilst it is common knowledge that different items have different nutrient levels, the levels of pesticide residues can vary quite a lot.
The EWG have compiled a list of “the dirty dozen” which are those fruits and veg found to have the highest residues of pesticides out of 46 different items tested. These are the ones that I’d strongly recommend either buying organic or even better, growing your own.
Dirty Dozen
- strawberries
- spinach
- kale/collard mustard greens
- grapes
- peaches
- pears
- nectarines
- apples
- bell peppers/capsicums
- cherries
- blueberries
- green beans
Clean Fifteen
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Mangoes
- Mushrooms
- Watermelon
- Cabbage
- Kiwi
- Honeydew melon
- Asparagus
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Papaya/paw paw
- Onions
- Pineapple
- Sweetcorn
- Avocados
A full list of the 46 fruits and veg that the EWG tested can be found here.
In an ideal world it’d be great to buy all fresh organic produce but sometimes the cost can be prohibitive or not readily available. If this is the case then perhaps growing your own or buying your fresh produce at a farmers’ market may be options. The fruits and veggies will often be in season, fresher, more locally sourced and often more nutrient dense. If you do have to buy from a supermarket, be sure to focus on buying those non-organic items that are in season, preferably more from the “clean dozen”. Washing your fresh produce in a baking soda or vinegar solution may help to remove some of the toxic residue on their exterior.
And yes, we definitely should be eating more fruit and veg! The ‘cleaner” the better!
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