Are You Washing Your Produce Correctly?

You may already know that you should wash your fruits and vegetables before you eat them. But did you know that there is some produce that is dirtier than others and requires more attention? To help keep us informed, every year the Environmental Working Group tests popular produce items and compiles their lists of the dirtiest and cleanest fuits and vegetables you can buy.

Let’s start with the ‘Dirty Dozen’. This list includes the 12 fruits and vegetables that had the highest level of pesticide residue when tested.

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, Collard & Mustard Greens
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Bell & Hot Peppers
8. Cherries
9. Peaches
10. Pears
11. Celery
12. Tomatoes

It’s not all bad news though, they also identified the ‘Clean Fifteen’ list of produce with the least amount of pesticide residue.

1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Frozen Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Honeydew Melon
9. Kiwi
10. Cabbage
11. Mushrooms
12. Cantaloupe
13. Mangoes
14. Watermelon
15. Sweet Potatoes

But don’t get discouraged! Just because a food is on the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list, doesn’t mean you have to stop eating it. One measure you can take is to shop those items from the organic section because organic growers don’t use synthetic pesticides. Regardless of if you’re shopping from the ‘Dirty Dozen’, Clean Fifteen’, organic or non-organic, you should always practice proper cleaning methods before using any produce. Watch the video below for tips on produce washing to ensure the cleanest fruits and vegetables possible.