EWG's 2019 Dirty Dozen List out

zeejane03

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/20/pesticide-residues-produce-even-after-washing-us

I don't buy organic produce unless it's the cheapest option, and have never given organic vs non-organic much thought. However, I've increased my produce consumption a lot this year, as I've started following the DASH protocol (7-12 servings a day usually). I also have started eating a lot of kale and spinach (pretty much every day), so now I'm wondering if I should re-think my stance on buying non-organic produce (for some things).

Science type peoples-what are your thoughts about produce/pesticide residue? A lot of this is over my head

JaimeJaimeM

A lot of this will weigh more on someone's personal beliefs/interpretation of what they've read on pesticides and food - however I was once advised this and it made a lot of sense:

If you're wanting to purchase organic but it puts some uncomfortable pressure on your finances, opt for getting organic food only if you eat the surface of the produce. Produce with non-edible skins (for example bananas, avocados) will create a barrier with a lot of those pesticide sprays so to buy those in organic is for most part just the consumers peace of mind but not actually any more beneficial than paying for the affordable stuff.

kimny72

jaimes_junk_mail wrote: »

A lot of this will weigh more on someone's personal beliefs/interpretation of what they've read on pesticides and food - however I was once advised this and it made a lot of sense:

If you're wanting to purchase organic but it puts some uncomfortable pressure on your finances, opt for getting organic food only if you eat the surface of the produce. Produce with non-edible skins (for example bananas, avocados) will create a barrier with a lot of those pesticide sprays so to buy those in organic is for most part just the consumers peace of mind but not actually any more beneficial than paying for the affordable stuff.

I agree with this as well. I think if you are concerned, focus on organic for items you eat a lot of and eat the skin of. If you need to drill down more, focus on items that additionally are difficult to clean well.

Having said that, my layman's understanding is that eating a lot of conventional produce is better than eating less produce because you can't afford organic. And that this is because there is still no real causation established between consuming foods grown with commercial pesticides and negative consequences. I think there's better chance of causation between folks who actually work with the pesticides (so are getting it on them, breathing it, that sort of thing).

And I've heard many who work in healthcare and nutrition getting annoyed at EWG and this list for basically discouraging people from eating more produce because they can't afford or sometimes even find organic options.

The_Enginerd

The EWG's methodology has issues and amounts to fear mongering. They are in the business of promoting organic food and are anti-GMO. Your food is safe to eat in any reasonable quantity, including foods on this "dirty dozen list", organic or conventionally grown. Buy and eat what you prefer.

https://www.acsh.org/news/2018/04/12/hey-mainstream-media-please-stop-promoting-ewgs-dirty-dozen-12828
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/589674
https://www.accountablescience.com/how-dirty-are-your-fruits-and-veggies/

The_Enginerd

And regardless of which product you choose, you should be washing any fruit you are eating in whole without a removable peel. I regular drive and bike by farms, including those which supply the food in my local stores. Between the birds and their waste products, farm equipment, workers harvesting the product, irrigation water, and transportation, there is plenty of reason to rinse your food no matter how it's grown.

zeejane03

Thanks for the insight so far I'm definitely not stopping with my higher intake of produce, but wondering if I should try to buy organic kale and spinach, since they're daily staples now. I'll take a look at the above links, thanks!

AJ_G

Here's the problem with your premise: it seems to me that you think "organic" means that no pesticides were used. That's not the case at all. All "organic" means is that synthetic pesticides were not used, but organic crops almost always have organic pesticides used on therm. Furthermore, in actually studying the difference it has been found that organic pesticides are less effective and therefore more total pesticides are used on organic crops to make up the difference. In all honestly having something labeled "organic" is more of a marketing scam than it is something that actually differentiates better quality produce from lower quality produce. Farmers work very hard to get that "organic" labeling on their crops so they can charge more for them.

lokihen

I don't know if your living space allows this, but kale is crazy easy to grow; even in a pot.

anthocyanina

I eat a lot of produce and here's my take:

Fresher conventional is better than not-so-fresh organic.

Between conventional Brussels sprouts at $1-2/lb and organic at $8-10, I'll take conventional. However a local natural foods store with high sales of organic kale actually has a lower price due than normal grocery store non-organic kale. (The probably sell so much they can get a better price) I can get bags of organic baby spinach for the same price (or less) as conventional.

Organic certification is expensive and often local farms use organic methods without being certified. I get my strawberries at a local stand. They're a bit more expensive than conventional strawberries but less than organic, and 1000% better tasting cause they're picked that day.

Sometimes when non-organic produce is heavily waxed and I want to eat the skins, I'll buy organic cause I don't like the feel of the waxy skin in my mouth.

Even organic has its own version of pesticides whose residue might be just as harmful. From experience I know how hard it can be to grow stuff without pesticides. It's more labor-intensive and sometimes bugs just take over and they can literally eat an entire plant, leaving you with nothing!

anthocyanina

To be honest, I don't always wash my produce, especially if it's not visibly dirty and I know where it's from. (Most likely it has already had some kind of washing. Even the oranges on my own tree are sometimes coated in dirt when I pick them). That water might be dirty but it's probably not. There aren't any animal farms nearby that would contaminate irrigation water (or the veggies in my own backyard). The local natural store with the kale sprays their produce with purified water. Other times I do wash with water, produce soap, or vinegar or bleach solutions for various reasons. I do things like discard outer cabbage leaves rather than wash when I can.

I take those chances for convenience sake, knowing there's a small risk, but of course there are people who should not take any chances with potential contamination due to their personal health status.

zeejane03

lokihen wrote: »

I don't know if your living space allows this, but kale is crazy easy to grow; even in a pot.

Oh good grief, I didn't even think of this! Yes, we have a couple acres so plenty of space-I've never gardened before but I could probably manage something in a pot starting out lol. Thanks for the idea!

kimny72

zeejane03 wrote: »

lokihen wrote: »

I don't know if your living space allows this, but kale is crazy easy to grow; even in a pot.

Oh good grief, I didn't even think of this! Yes, we have a couple acres so plenty of space-I've never gardened before but I could probably manage something in a pot starting out lol. Thanks for the idea!

Most greens are easy! I start swiss chard seeds inside, just a bright window, no grow light or anything. Then plant them in a grow bag on my porch. It's done well every year, except one year toward the end of the summer when a bunch of aphids just annihilated the plants before I even realized.

Butterchop

Just to add to the growing discussion. Spinach is super easy to grow as well. I plant mine in window boxes and just place on my porch. Super easy and fast to grow.

nooshi713

The main things I buy organic are the things i eat the most of that are the most contaminated like baby greens, spinach, kale and apples and berries. I like to try to avoid exposure to chemicals. I buy regular bananas and citrus fruits.

cathipa

I believe even organic food uses "organic" pesticides. Correct? I would also think that eating non-organic produce would be healthier than avoiding them all together.

MikePTY

I used to worry myself about this type of stuff a lot, but I think it partially kept me from eating healthier foods. I know for sure I am better off eating non-organic produce than not eating produce at all. There are much more established negative health effects with not eating enough produce than there are with eating produce that has been grown with pesticides.

AnnPT77

Butterchop wrote: »

Just to add to the growing discussion. Spinach is super easy to grow as well. I plant mine in window boxes and just place on my porch. Super easy and fast to grow.

Agree 100% but would add, in case of new gardeners reading, that standard spinach prefers cooler weather, and can quickly bolt (flower and set seed) if it gets really hot. There are other greens for which this isn't a big problem, and some spinach varieties are slower to bolt than others. If you have hot summers, but want to grow spinach, look up when to plant for your region, and maybe think of other greens to grow in the hot phase. Fitting in another spinach crop in fall (or even over winter under hoop covers or similar if it doesn't get too cold really early) may be an option, too.

shaumom

If you have a family history of certain disorders or diseases, it may impact how much of a concern pesticide residue may be.

My GI, whose focus is on auto-immune disorders, said he started noticing that his AI patients seem more likely to have or develop sensitivities to artificial dyes, preservatives, and to conventional (and sometimes organic) pesticide residues. He now recommends that all his newly diagnosed patients see if they can try a diet that avoids these as much as possible for a couple months, and see if it helps some of their pain, gut, or inflammation symptoms.

He said it didn't make a difference for some, but the majority of his patients had reported that it helped. But he also was very clear that he hasn't seen any major research in this yet; this was mostly based some studies that suggested a possible connection, which led to his own observations and trials with his clinic's patients.

But anecdotally, at least, in terms of deciding whether or not to pay attention to the dirty dozen list, it might be a factor to consider.

J72FIT

AJ_G wrote: »

In all honestly having something labeled "organic" is more of a marketing scam than it is something that actually differentiates better quality produce from lower quality produce.

My feeling as well...

J72FIT

IMO, you are not going to avoid chemicals by eating organic. I buy by price, not by label and wash everything...

ritzvin

The_Enginerd wrote: »

The EWG's methodology has issues and amounts to fear mongering. They are in the business of promoting organic food and are anti-GMO. Your food is safe to eat in any reasonable quantity, including foods on this "dirty dozen list", organic or conventionally grown. Buy and eat what you prefer.

https://www.acsh.org/news/2018/04/12/hey-mainstream-media-please-stop-promoting-ewgs-dirty-dozen-12828
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/589674
https://www.accountablescience.com/how-dirty-are-your-fruits-and-veggies/

yep. Pretty much EVERYTHING is considered harmful by EWG.