Dirty Dozen & Clean 15 Chart

Why this List Effects your Child 

There has been a enormous amount of research in the past 5 years on how important it is to know exactly what food you're putting into your body. Researchers are warning that pesticides in your fruits and vegetables can lead to cancer among other illnesses. The good news is that by eating certain types of organic produce you can lower the amount of toxins you consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent.

We have been told how important it is to buy organic, but most families can't afford to buy everything organic. That's where the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 come in. These lists were complied by Environmental Working Group of data from the United States Department of Agriculture based on the amount of pesticide residue that was found in non-organic fruits and vegetables AFTER they had been washed.

The fruits and veggies on the "Dirty Dozen" list have tested positive for at least 47 chemicals! Scary, right?! Items on this list are fruits and veggies that you absolutely, when able, should splurge on by going organic at your local grocery store. The produce on the "Clean 15" list has little to no pesticides on them- so these are safe to consume in the non-organic form. The reason why some produce aren't affected by the pesticides in mostly due to an outer layer of skin that protects the fruit, which reduces the pesticide exposure.  Below is a chart that will help you remember what produce "Dirty" and what items are "Clean."

But remember- even when you are eating an item from the Clean 15 list- remember to wash it!