Dirty Dozen?
When I began the organic phase of my food journey I found “the dirty dozen”. A group of foods that have the MOST pesticide residue left on them and IN them. I didn’t know that I couldn’t just wash off the pesticides–I’ve learned a lot since then! These 12 foods are foods that you should buy organic if you can . . .
How can I remember 12 foods?
Once you get to know me . . . and I hope you will . . . I forget things. A LOT. Not just silly things like garbage day–but big things like birthdays and anniversaries. It’s not that I don’t care, I do! But no matter what I do–the names, dates stuff like that, just doesn’t stay with me.
[tweetherder]”Oh crap, was that today?”[/tweetherder]
Is one of my mantra’s (you can tweet that!). So when I looked at the list I was overwhelmed. But then I took a closer look and realized that I didn’t buy half of what was on the list so I didn’t really need to memorize the entire list. And now they have an app for the dirty dozen (or you can just make a note of it on your phone). What seemed so hard–really wasn’t once I thought about it.
This is from pbs.org: The fruits and vegetables on “The Dirty Dozen” list, when conventionally grown, tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67. For produce on the “dirty” list, you should definitely go organic — unless you relish the idea of consuming a chemical cocktail.
- celery
- peaches
- strawberries
- apples
- domestic blueberries
- nectarines
- sweet bell peppers
- spinach, kale and collard greens
- cherries
- potatoes
- imported grapes
- lettuce
I routinely buy apples, strawberries (in season usually), my greens–romaine lettuce, spinach, and kale, potatoes and peppers. My family is not a big fan of grapes, cherries, blueberries–any choking hazard (now that I think about it) . . . I don’t buy! I love the Farmer’s Market–any farmer’s market anywhere–not to say that it still isn’t “dirty” but I can at least ask the farmer what he sprays or if he does at all!
Remembering just the foods that I use and not worrying about what I don’t use–made this list more manageable. I thought I CAN do this!
Feel free to google “dirty dozen” for a million sources. You can find the app for your phone here.
L.O.V.E.,
Renee
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