The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15

Have you heard of the "dirty dozen" ?? Well if you haven't, you need to learn about it!! I found out the hard way that some of the "healthy" stuff we think we are eating is covered in harmful chemicals!!

How did I find out??  Well, I went on a juicing diet for 7 days, only fruits and veggies in liquid form. I did great except for the fact that my face broke out in a weird rash..... I did some research and determined it was from the Kale I had bought. I didn't buy organic and probably didn't wash them well enough, so I was breaking out due to all the chemicals on the kale! 

Pesticide residue on some fruits and vegetables can be a big issue. In fact, fruits and vegetables on the 'highest levels' list contain 47 to 67 pesticides per serving!! HORRIBLE!! You bet your butt I buy organic now! Buying organic, in-season produce from your local market is the best way to know it is free of pesticides. If you are on a limited budget, look for organic choices for the produce your family eats the most. the benefits of eating organic food go straight to the farm, where no pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used to grow the organic produce shipped to grocers. That means workers and farm neighbors aren't exposed to potentially harmful chemicals, it means less fossil fuel converted into fertilizers and it means healthier soil that should sustain crops for generations to come. For individuals, organic food also has benefits. Eating organic means avoiding the pesticide residue left on foods, and it may even mean more nutritious varietals, though research into that subject has yielded mixed results. While there are few if any proven health impacts from consuming trace quantities of pesticides on foods, a growing number of people take the precaution of avoiding exposure just in case, particularly in the cases of pregnant women (growing babies are exposed to most of the chemicals that mom consume) and the parents of young children. It is estimated that individuals can reduce their exposure by 80% if they switch to organic when buying these 12 foods.

So I figured this little pictures/poster would be very good for anyone that doesn't know about the "dirty dozen" or "clean 15" ... The list varies every year depending on what crops used more chemicals or not, but for the most part these are the ones to look out for.

Also check Whats On My Food, a project of the Pesticide Action Network that makes the same USDA pesticide residue testing data available in an easy-to-use database.