I remember a time (Nita here, waves) when I was a recent graduate and just fresh into my career as a Registered Dietitian. Like so many others, I had succumbed to fear mongering tactics that would sway me to purchase organic food…because it was “clean,” and “better” and “safer.”
I would frolic the grocery store with my screenshot list of the “dirty dozen” and the “clean fifteen,” (lists published by the Environment Working Group, or EWG for short) proudly filling my cart and definitely spending more of my hard earned money than I needed to be.
This is really cringeworthy, but it’s a part of my story so I want to share it. I would even tell clients to purchase organic foods and to use the dirty dozen list as a tool when shopping. I mean…the marketing is just so seductive and since humans are swayed by emotions, using fear is a really effective strategy. Little did I know, I was doing them a disservice and perpetuating misinformation.
I’m sorry about that time in my life.
Thankfully, I met the right people, engrossed myself in reading literature and connected myself to several farmers across the country that eventually freed me from this fear. When we know more, we can do better and I’ve certainly refined my critical thinking skills, phew!
So that’s what this blog post is about. It’s my reckoning and reclamation…and maybe a public apology too!
What is the Dirty Dozen?
If you spend any amount of time on the internet or like many of us, maybe you’ve fallen prey to cleverly disguised misinformation like…the dirty dozen. Let’s explore what this is.
Every year around spring, a list begins to circulate that includes the top “dirty” fruits and vegetables. And no, it’s not literal dirt – although in reality that would actually be more practical. It’s a list compiled by the Environmental Working Group (EWG, more on them in a minute) of the conventionally grown produce that has the most pesticide residue. In their opinion, if you can’t afford to exclusively purchase organic foods, these should be your primary focus.
Listen, I get it, that might sound pretty scary–eating foods that have “the most” pesticide residue. But this means nothing if we don’t understand this next important fact. The fruits and vegetables listed each year contain residues that are FAR below the minimum threshold level that could cause harm or safety to human health. So really, this is all futile and it creates unnecessary fear, confusion, and mistrust for consumers who are just trying to enjoy a meal.
Let’s take an example, strawberries. Strawberries were ranked this year as being the “most dirty” as per the EWG. Now let’s assume strawberries contain the highest allowable residue (still safe). A child could eat 181 SERVINGS of strawberries in ONE day without any negative impact on their health. Now, we aren’t saying you or your child should eat that many strawberries, but assuming you somehow managed to, the amount of pesticide consumed will not pose any harm.
You can use this online calculation tool to see how many servings a man, woman, teen or young child could consume of any particular food and still not have any adverse effects from pesticide residues.
What is the Clean Fifteen?
Now that you have a good understanding of the dirty dozen, you can likely gather what the clean fifteen is, so this will be really simple.
The clean fifteen, according to the EWG is a list of the fruit and vegetables with the LEAST amount of residue. They assert that you don’t need to worry about eating the conventionally grown produce on this list and can enjoy it freely.
Who is the Environmental Working Group?
If you’ve made it this far, you might be wondering…who and what exactly is the Environmental Working Group (EWG)? The EWG is a not-for-profit activist group that is particularly critical of conventional agricultural practices and the use of synthetic pesticides.
They have the appearance of expertise, authority, and having your best interest in mind, except that they are heavily funded by organic industries.
Do we smell some bias? Yup.
It’s clear that the EWG is using a really effective strategy, fear mongering, to sway consumers to purchase organic produce even though scientific consensus is that conventionally grown foods are safe, nutritious and grown in a way that is sustainable (in most cases, more sustainable than organic food).
Suggested reading: Should I Buy Organic Food for My Baby
Are there pesticides in the foods I eat?
Contrary to popular belief, there is very minimal (translates to: almost zero) pesticide residue on the food we consume. And, just because a pesticide residue is present, doesn’t mean that it poses a risk to our health.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) establishes something called maximum residue limits (MRL), which are the legal limits for pesticide residue on crops. These limits are set significantly below (up to 1000 times lower) the level that could potentially pose a health risk to humans.
Health Canada scientists evaluate the toxicity of pesticides and conduct risk assessments based on Canadian diets. They determine how much produce with the highest pesticide residue someone could safely consume without any health issues.
You might be surprised to learn that detection technology is so sophisticated that it can detect parts per billion. Think of a drop of water in an Olympic size swimming pool – we can detect that!
Earlier we spoke about strawberries. But let’s look at some other common produce:
A child could safely eat the following without any negative health effects!
- 3720 cups of kale, or
- 340 small apples, or
- 806 servings of raisins
Recent testing shows that 99.98% of domestic fruits and vegetables are within safe limits, and 90.4% had no detectable pesticide residue.
Again…all this to say, pesticides on food is one less thing you have to worry about in your food parenting journey.
Why are pesticides used in food production?
The word ‘pesticide’ is an umbrella term for a variety of products that are used to minimize the damaging effects of pests on food crops. Insecticides prevent insects from eating the crops (like, the worms I once found in my cherries from a backyard cherry tree) and fungicides prevent plants from getting diseased (like, nigrospora which is a fungal disease that causes the centre of a banana to turn dark red…which we probably wouldn’t like).
Without pesticides, it’s estimated that nearly 50% of the harvest for many foods would be lost!
Take this one step further, it would likely result in even higher food prices!
Are there pesticides in organic food production?
One thing the EWG fails to mention when they recommend buying organic food to “avoid pesticide residues” is that organic farmers use pesticides too!
Are you shocked?
Organic farms skip synthetic pesticides but still have an arsenal of naturally derived pesticides to pull from.
There’s a common belief that because something is natural, it’s inherently better or won’t cause harm. While this feels good on an emotional level, it’s not always true.
Regardless of whether a pesticide is naturally derived or synthetically made, they can have varying levels of toxicity. In fact, some natural pesticides are much more toxic to human health than the same dose of some synthetic pesticides…ever heard of copper sulfate? It’s a common pesticide used in organic farming. According to toxicologists, it’s more toxic than Glyphosate.
Why should I wash my produce then?
Even though the level of pesticide residue on your produce isn’t concerning, it’s still recommended to wash your fruits and vegetables for a few reasons:
- To remove dirt
- To remove bacteria
- Between the time the produce is harvested to when it arrives in your house, there’s potential for cross-contamination from being handled
As an added bonus, if you’re STILL concerned about pesticide residues, washing can further reduce those levels.
How should I wash my produce?
Always wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under fresh, cool, running water, even if you plan to peel them. This simple step helps prevent the spread of any bacteria that might be present on the surface.
For produce with porous surfaces like oranges, melons, potatoes, and carrots, use a clean produce brush to scrub them thoroughly.
There’s no need to use any special produce washes (save your money!); plain water is sufficient to clean fresh fruits and vegetables effectively.
Want more details, read this article from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
What kind of produce should I buy?
You might be thinking at this point that we’re against organic farming but then you’d be wrong! We have nothing against the actual practice and philosophy of organic farming. What we have a problem with is the agenda by some pro-organic groups that eating organic is healthier and that you’re harming your kids if you buy conventionally grown food. This is a lie.
Sadly, in one research study, when low income individuals were interviewed about their food purchasing decisions, it was found that when people believed the messaging behind the Dirty Dozen, they simply stopped buying those foods since they couldn’t afford the organic versions. So instead of eating more fruits and veggies (which most of us could benefit from!), they were eating less. From a health disparities lens, this is concerning and downright sad–if you’re reading this, it’s likely you’re a parent, which means you care for all children beyond your own.
So, the choice is yours!
If your philosophical beliefs and budget align with organic farming principles, buy organic!
If they don’t, there’s absolutely no nutritional or health disadvantage to conventionally grown produce.
Regardless of what you buy, our main goal is to put your mind at ease. You can feel confident in our North American food supply, knowing that it’s safe for your littlest family members! As Dietitians and moms ourselves, we really just want you to enjoy mealtimes…without the overwhelm.
2 thoughts on “We’re Dietitians, Here’s Why We Don’t Use the Dirty Dozen”
Hi! as a believer of the dirty dozen, this post definitely generated some cognitive dissonance. Do you know if the CAN pesticide standards are the same as the USA?
Great question! While I’m not clear on the details, I believe the standards in the USA are quite similar to those in Canada.