With summer on the way fresh produce is already pouring into our local markets, tantalizing the taste buds with the idea of expertly crafted fresh fruit salads, veggies being grilled on the BBQ, and an array of salad makings are ready for the picking.
Wether it be the first bite of a fresh peach, fresh bright red apples waiting for a pie, or the long anticipation of blueberry season, these healthy choices have been deemed part of the “Dirty Dozen” by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in their newest report of the produce with the most pesticides.
The EWG found that 98% of conventionally grown apples tested positive for up to 48 different types of pesticides, with 93% of each apple internally contaminated by at least 2 different pesticides. Celery, with its water vascular structure which increases the amount of pesticides absorb, ranked number 2 on the list followed by strawberries, then peaches.
Being on the top of the most contaminated list, these fruits and veggies are not coming clean by a mere washing, in more than one way. Pesticides sprayed go into our water supply and become airborne spreading to large populated areas. The spread of pesticides cause irreversible biological, health, and environmental impacts worldwide.
So before checking out at your local market check out the Environmental Working Groups’ Dirty Dozen and consider buying organic before ingesting those dirty little contaminates.
