EWG'S "CLEAN FIFTEEN" AND "DIRTY DOZEN" ARE HERE!

The Environmental Working Group's list of produce called the "Clean 15" and the “Dirty Dozen” are finally here! Yippee!

This is something that I give to all of my clients as they transition to healthier eating. Finding organic produce can be tricky sometimes and also the pretty penny associated with it. EWG lets us know which 15 fruits and vegetables have the lowest amount of pesticide residue AND which 12 fruits and vegetables have the highest amount of pesticide residue.  
 
A few keys points that I love and agree with in this article are: 

1.    It is better to eat fruits and vegetables grown and harvested using pesticides than to not eat them at all. I couldn’t agree more. It can get super confusing on our journey to better health! If you cannot find organic produce in your area or it is not feasible please know that you should still be eating your fruits and veggies. The Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen are guidelines for you to minimize your exposure to pesticides. 

2.    It makes sense to peel fruits, unless you are able to purchase them organic. Remove and discard the outermost leaves of lettuce and cabbage and peel the skin off potatoes, if they are not organically grown. For other surfaces that cannot be peeled, you can wash them with soap and water or a vegetable wash. You can find vegetable wash in your local health food store or you can make your own using equal parts vinegar and water.  

3.    When we buy organic, we: 

(a)  Minimize our exposure to pesticides
(b)  Eat better tasting food
(c)  Eat food with more antioxidants which help to combat toxins and diseases such as cancer
(d)  Minimize the amount of pesticides our environment is exposed to
(e)  Support and protect organic and local farmers
(f)   Increase the demand for organic produce
(g)  Decrease the number of farm workers exposed to potentially harmful chemicals
(h)  Help protect insects especially the bees and worms 

If you’re new to this idea, cut the below pictures out and put them in your wallet or bag. Then when you’re at the grocery store you can just pull them out and away you go.  

To read more of this article from Joel Fuhrman, M.D. click here http://bit.ly/1oNVjrF.
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