{"id":2614,"date":"2015-11-01T14:34:20","date_gmt":"2015-11-01T14:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/?p=2614"},"modified":"2015-11-01T14:34:20","modified_gmt":"2015-11-01T14:34:20","slug":"organic-food-the-dirty-dozen-clean-fifteen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2015\/11\/01\/organic-food-the-dirty-dozen-clean-fifteen\/","title":{"rendered":"Organic Food: The Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen"},"content":{"rendered":"

People often tell us that they can\u2019t afford to buy organic food and complain that healthier food options are expensive. While we understand that at times eating and shopping for healthy alternatives can be dearer than what is available in your average supermarket, it needn\u2019t be.<\/p>\n

As we know only too well that the health costs associated with a poor diet and lifestyle is high\u2014when you consider degenerative diseases and cost of prescription medications\u2014we believe that paying a slightly higher price at the checkout justifies the expense. However we understand that for many families, cost is a real issue and puts a strain on an already strained family budget. So we recommend eating as clean as possible within your budget and this is where the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen come in.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen?<\/b><\/p>\n

The \u2018dirty\u2019 and \u2018clean\u2019 list of foods are created by Environmental Working Group (EWG), a U.S. health and environmental research organisation that analyses the fruit and vegetables most commonly laden with synthetic pesticide and fertiliser residues.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Credit: Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

Each year, after conducting research, they provide revised lists of the cleanest foods to purchase and the dirtiest foods to avoid (and purchase organic). <\/span>\u201cWe are saying, eat your fruits and vegetables,\u201d said Sonya Lunder, EWG\u2019s senior analyst. \u201cBut know which ones have the highest amounts of pesticides so you can opt for the organic versions, if available and affordable, or grab a snack off the Clean Fifteen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, the 12 conventionally grown foods people should avoid purchasing\u2014and is highly recommended they purchase organic\u2014 are:<\/span><\/p>\n

– apples<\/span><\/p>\n

– strawberries<\/span><\/p>\n

– peaches<\/span><\/p>\n

– nectarines<\/span><\/p>\n

– grapes<\/span><\/p>\n

– celery<\/span><\/p>\n

– spinach<\/span><\/p>\n

– capsicum<\/span><\/p>\n

– cucumbers<\/span><\/p>\n

– cherry tomatoes<\/span><\/p>\n

– snap peas (imported)<\/span><\/p>\n

– potatoes<\/span><\/p>\n

The 15 ‘cleanest’ foods or the foods least contaminated by chemical residues are<\/span><\/p>\n

– avocados<\/span><\/p>\n

– sweet corn<\/span><\/p>\n

– pineapples<\/span><\/p>\n

– cabbage<\/span><\/p>\n

– sweet peas (frozen)<\/span><\/p>\n

– onions<\/span><\/p>\n

– asparagus<\/span><\/p>\n

– mangos<\/span><\/p>\n

– papayas<\/span><\/p>\n

– kiwi fruit<\/span><\/p>\n

– eggplant<\/span><\/p>\n

– grapefruit<\/span><\/p>\n

– cantaloupe<\/span><\/p>\n

– cauliflower<\/span><\/p>\n

– sweet potatoes<\/span><\/p>\n

Why avoid chemical pesticides?<\/b><\/p>\n

There have been increasing research findings linking pesticides to a number of health problems including a number of studies focussing on <\/span>pesticide-related health problems and farmers<\/span><\/a> and the chronic effects it can have such as adverse reproductive outcomes, <\/span>Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> cancer<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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There is also research linking synthetic pesticides to a number of health problems in children such as <\/span>lower IQ, attention and learning difficulties such as ADHD<\/span><\/a> and paediatric cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, the chemicals that are sprayed in the ground often run off into our waterways, creeks, streams and rivers. So not only do the chemicals destroy the fertility of the soil in which food is grown, it also wreaks havoc on our natural environment and affects our wildlife.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to reducing consumption of the \u2018Dirty Dozen\u2019 other inexpensive ways to reduce pesticide exposure are:<\/span><\/p>\n