We all know that we should wash our produce before eating or cooking but just how dirty are our foods? Every year the Environmental Working Group makes a list of the dirtiest produce that can be bought at the grocery store.
Discover our latest podcast
'The dirty dozen' are the foods that experts say have been found to have the highest amount ofpesticides in commercial farming. Along with this list, the EWG also publishes the 'clean fifteen' which consist of food that has shown little tono pesticides used even during commercial practices.
The information is collected through internal data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as data from the Food and Drug Administration. Analyzed are 47 different fruits and vegetablesall put in order from dirtiest to cleanest.
What happens if you ingest pesticides?
If consumed, pesticides can be absorbed into the lungs and bloodstream and can cause damage. But also, pesticides are both carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors which means that too much pesticide exposure can be linked to cancer and hormone changes resulting in diabetes, obesity and thyroid issues.
However, this is all dependant on the dose and a good wash of your produce will greatlyreduce any risk to the body. But still, it's always best to buy organic when possible.
Check out the video above to see 2020's dirty dozen!
