06/06/2025
🍎🍓Understanding the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen: 🥬🫐 A Guide to Healthier Produce Shopping
Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a helpful guide for shoppers. Known as the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, these lists identify which produce items have the highest and lowest levels of pesticide residues, based on thousands of tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What Are The Dirty Dozen?
The Dirty Dozen refers to twelve types of produce that tend to carry the highest pesticide loads, even after washing and peeling. These items are often grown using more intensive pesticide applications or have skins that easily absorb residues. For health-conscious consumers, especially those trying to avoid synthetic chemicals, the Dirty Dozen are the fruits and vegetables most worth buying organic.
As of the most recent report, the Dirty Dozen includes:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard & mustard greens
Grapes
Peaches
Pears
Nectarines
Apples
Bell & hot peppers
Cherries
Blueberries
Green beans
Some of these, like strawberries and spinach, have consistently ranked at the top of the list due to the number and volume of pesticide residues found on them. The list doesn’t suggest avoiding these foods, but rather encourages purchasing the organic versions when possible to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.
The Clean Fifteen
In contrast, the Clean Fifteen are fruits and vegetables that tend to have the lowest levels of pesticide residues. These include: avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, honeydew melon, kiwi, cabbage, watermelon, mushrooms, mangoes, sweet potatoes, carrots.
Why Does It Matter?
While the levels of pesticides found in conventional produce are within legal limits, research has raised concerns about the potential long-term health effects of consuming multiple pesticide residues. Children, pregnant individuals, and people with weakened immune systems may be even more vulnerable to the effects. The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list provides a practical approach for reducing risk.
