The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists are out for 2022! These two lists are brought out each year detailing the amount of pesticide residue left on fruit and vegetables. These lists provide a guide for us, the consumer, as to what food can be bought from the supermarket, or whether an organic piece of produce would be more suitable.
Why are the lists important? Read on to find out.
WHAT GOES ON OUR FOOD, GOES IN US
Have you ever seen media images of people spraying pesticide on crops? What are they wearing? Why are they wearing hazmat suits? Because what they are spraying on our food kills shi*. If that can kill little bugs and insects, can it kill us? Hmmmmm??? If I can buy certified organic, I will. It’s for this reason alone.
After doing heavy research into gut health, what can harm the gut, and then not wanting to cause more damage to the gut, making certified organic produce a top priority seemed like a no brainer for me. I basically just do the best I can and that’s all we can do because we are all in different situations.
I stumbled across the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 by sheer accident when researching Coeliac Disease and why it was increasing. My interest in gut issues led me down a path of what we put in our mouths and how this must have an effect on our gut. These lists can be found through basic research and are also available on many social media and news accounts.
Check out the clip below to find out more about which fruit and veggies contain the most pesticides and what we should buy certified organic.
4 minutes
Want to find out more about why a condition such as Coeliac Disease is on the increase, check out the following related article.
Is Coeliac Disease Increasing?
SO, WHAT IS THE DIRTY DOZEN?
Let’s start with the Dirty Dozen. This list is compiled of 12 fruits and vegetables. Samples are taken from around 35,000 fruits and vegetables to test how much chemical residue is left on each piece of produce. The produce containing the most pesticide residue, end up on the Dirty Dozen list.
To access the 2022 Dirty Dozen list, click here.
If we can buy these items organic, or better still, certified organic, we have a far better chance of reducing the amount of pesticide residue we consume. While it’s important to wash all our fruit and vegetables every time before we consume or cook them regardless of where we buy them, if we can buy these 12 items certified organic, we can reduce the chemical load on the body.
Ways to start buying spray-free
Okay, so what should we buy and where? Now let’s take a look at the Clean 15 list.
THE CLEAN 15 LIST
The Clean 15 is just the opposite of the Dirty Dozen. The list is comprised of the top 15 fruits and vegetables that contain the LEAST amount of residue from pesticides and herbicides.
To access the Clean 15 list, click HERE.
THE COST – PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Our choices either feed disease or prevent it. It’s hard to put a price on good health so for that fact alone, I don’t. It can cost more to buy certified organic but buying seasonal, and shopping around, can help keep costs down. Nearly all my money goes towards my health and well-being. Long gone are the days of wasting money on unnecessary items. So what I don’t waste on crap and useless items now, I put into my food.
GET A COPY OF THE 2022 DIRTY DOZEN & CLEAN 15 ON ETSY
Head over to my Etsy store to check out more resources by clicking the image below. These are perfect for keeping on us when we do our shopping. They can help us save money, and most importantly, protect our gut health from nasty sprays, and therefore improve our overall health.
Other products on nutrition and gut health available on Etsy. Click the image to go straight to the shop.
