Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzes the most recent USDA data to compile its infamous Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists.
These list the types of fruits and vegetables that tend to be grown with the most and least pesticides, based on the latest available numbers.
This year’s lists dropped today. Before we peel back the results, a produce PSA: Don’t take them as a sign that you should be avoiding any fruits or vegetables altogether—even the ones considered “dirty.”
Given research like this study out of the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago that found that after seeing pesticide messaging, low-income shoppers were less likely to purchase any fruits or vegetables, it’s important to point out that eating a non-organic strawberry is still by and large a healthier choice than eating, say, a strawberry-flavored gummy bear.
Filling your plate with a variety of fresh fruits and veggies will always be a cornerstone of good nutrition—and it’s especially essential in the throes of COVID-19.
So, you can think of these lists more as resources to help guide your produce purchasing habits. If you only have a certain amount of money to spend at the grocery store, the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 can steer you towards the produce you should prioritize buying organic from a health perspective (though there are environmental and worker’s rights reasons to buy organic when you can too).
With that out of the way, here’s the updated list: