If that happened, then be concerned with pesticide residues.  Everyone else can forget about the Environmental Working Group’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list.  

I can always tell it’s spring — that’s when the EWG issues it’s list of fruits and veggies with pesticide residues, just when people are looking forward to spring and produce.  The EWG’s message is always the same:  Avoid the Dirty Dozen.  And the failures of their message are also the same:


AGAIN, the EWG fails to put pesticide use into context and AGAIN, that’s irresponsible. (Example: even a child would have to eat 181 servings (about 90 cups) of strawberries, the #1 food on Dirty Dozen list, to exceed safe levels. An adult male would need to eat 635 servings (about 317 cups) of strawberries. 

AGAIN, the EWG doesn’t mention the pesticides used in organic agriculture.  There are hundreds of them, and even a few dozen synthetic ones that are allowed under certain circumstances – while still allowing the food to carry an “organic” label.

AGAIN, consumers should be reminded that the feds have been looking at this for decades, through its Pesticide Data Program.

The “Villains”

Kale: The new addition to the “Dirty Dozen”
  1. Strawberries
  2. Spinach
  3. Kale
  4. Nectarines
  5. Apples
  6. Grapes
  7. Peaches
  8. Cherries
  9. Pears
  10. Tomatoes
  11. Celery
  12. Potatoes

It Really Is ALL Good

You’ve heard that “the dose makes the poison.”  It’s true, but the dose also brings the benefit.  Let’s remember: ALL the research proving the healthfulness of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables – fresh, canned, frozen, dried – throughout our lives, was done using CONVENTIONALLY grown produce, not organic. 

Organic is just another choice.  If buying organic gets you eating more fruits and vegetables, then terrific!  But if you can’t find them, can’t afford them, or simply want to eat healthful food that’s also more economical, then the conventionally-grown option is fine.  I eat organic produce sometimes, when it’s convenient and reasonably priced.  I also eat ALL the conventionally-grown produce on the “dirty” list. 

No, I Won’t Peel My Apples

Eat the peels! There’s good stuff there!

That may remove pesticide residues but it’s probably healthier to eat the edible peels and skins on produce – they’re loaded with antioxidants and prebiotic fiber.  The research supporting eating fiber outweighs the near-non-existent negative research on pesticides on our food.  It’s also a huge waste to throw away these edible portions.


My EdibleRx about LAST YEAR’s Dirty Dozen holds as true today as it did then, except that kale made this year’s list, bumping off sweet bell peppers. Yawn.  If you hate kale, you’re thrilled.  But if you like it, then it won’t kale you to keep eating it without concern.  

Still Have Doubts?

Get the facts.  This cool tool calculates how many servings of one of the Dirty Dozen a man, woman or child would have to eat before pesticides could become a concern.  It’s from the Alliance for Food and Farming – a non-profit organization of BOTH organic and conventional growers of fruits and vegetables on all sizes of farms.