Latest news with #CleanFifteen
Buzz Feed
28-06-2025
- Health
- Buzz Feed
Experts Reveal Which Grocery Splurges Are Worth It
By now, it feels like the world is an impending dumpster fire. And in a cruel twist of fate, that fire is coming for your pantry. Thanks to rising tariffs and global chaos, some of our favorite foods are suddenly looking like luxury goods — RIP San Marzano tomatoes, chocolate, olive oil, and avocado toast (you were too beautiful for this world). So, what is worth the splurge in this economy? Should we still be buying organic? Can we justify $11 eggs or $9 strawberries? We asked a couple of experts to help us figure out what to cling to and what to leave behind at the checkout line. 🥕 PRODUCE: The organic guilt trip (let's talk about it). Spoiler: Not everything has to be organic, despite what your favorite wellness influencer-slash-matcha-merchant says. You can let go of the guilt. You're not going to die from eating a non-organic banana (and your bank account will thank you). But there are a few fruits and veggies worth the splurge, especially the ones you eat whole or can't peel. 'As a rule of thumb, anything with a thin or edible skin. Think strawberries, apples, and spinach are more vulnerable to pesticides and worth buying organic,' says Olivia Hensal, a Miami-based functional nutritionist. 'I always tell clients to check the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists each year.' This year's Dirty Dozen (aka the produce items with the most pesticide residue) includes spinach, strawberries, kale, collard and mustard greens, grapes, peaches, cherries, nectarines, pears, apples, blackberries, blueberries, and potatoes. This year's Clean Fifteen (aka the lowest amount of pesticide residue) includes: pineapples, sweet corn, avocados, papaya, onions, sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangos, carrots, mushrooms, and kiwi. Basically, if it stains your cutting board, buy it organic. 'Vegetables and fruits that you eat whole (or eat the skin of) and don't have a 'protective' outer barrier like avocados or bananas are best to buy organic,' Hensal explains. Verdict: SPLURGE on the Dirty Dozen. SKIP organic for thick-skinned friends like bananas, avocados, and onions. They're doing just fine. 🍳 MEAT & EGGS: Not all protein is created equal. If you're going to eat meat, it's worth thinking about how that meat lived before it made its way to your fridge. (Morbid? Maybe. Helpful? Definitely.) Grass-fed beef and pastured chickens aren't just buzzwords for bougie brunch menus; they're actually more nutrient-dense and arguably more ethical. 'I recommend splurging on meats from grass-fed or grass-finished cows and pastured chickens,' says Hensal. 'It's worth it not just for your health, but for the planet too.' These animals lived the dream: wide open spaces, a natural diet, and way less stress. (Unlike us, whose blood pressure spikes when eggs hit $9.) And yes, their quality of life actually affects the nutritional value. Stress and diet impact them just like us. Sure, they were still raised for slaughter (dark), but at least they had a better time getting there? Maybe? Moving on… Verdict: SPLURGE — but maybe do it less often so your wallet doesn't panic. Budget move: beans are your bestie. They're cheap, packed with protein, and stress-free (as far as we know). Hey, you! Wanna cook 7,500+ recipes in step-by-step mode (with helpful videos) right from your phone? Download the free Tasty app right now. 🫒 OIL: If it comes in a plastic jug, just no. You can absolutely judge an olive oil by its bottle. If it's in clear plastic and on sale for $3.99, it's a no-go, chief. Look for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in dark glass bottles. Bonus points if it's single-origin and cold-pressed. 'High-quality cooking oil is a must,' says Hensal. 'The good stuff maintains more antioxidants and healthy fats.' Verdict: SPLURGE — your roasted veggies deserve it. 🧂 SALT: Your fancy pink rock may be doing the most. Before you toss your Himalayan salt in the 'rich people nonsense' pile, consider this: your basic table salt? Basically just sodium and chloride. Your fancy pink stuff? A literal mineral flex. 'Standard table salt doesn't offer much nutritional value. But unrefined salts like Himalayan salt naturally contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, and more,' says Hensal. 'Think of it as a vitamin with seasoning potential.' So yes, you're regressing to a 17th-century European who hoards salt, but honestly? Same. Verdict: SPLURGE (but maybe don't get the $35 ceramic jar just for the aesthetic). 🥑 SEASONAL & LOCAL: Because maybe you don't need avocados in January. Michael Beltran, chef, restaurant owner, and king of chaotic culinary realness, puts it simply: 'I would say it's not worth it from the veggie standpoint, right? Because you can go to a farmers market and get local veggies that are going to be better.' Translation: Don't blow your budget on sad, out-of-season produce that's traveled farther than you have this year. Shopping seasonally and locally doesn't just support small farms; it also means your food actually tastes like something. Sure, it might mean skipping avocados in winter, but you'll live. And when it comes to fish, Beltran doubles down: 'If I had to choose between a wild-caught salmon or [farm-raised] salmon, I'm gonna buy wild-caught salmon…but there's a fish market close to my house, and 99% of the time it's fucking delicious and better fish than I'll get anywhere.' So, yeah. If you live near the water, flex. If you don't…well, we're sorry. Maybe stick to beans and vibes. Verdict: SPLURGE on what's in season and close to home. Your taste buds (and budget) will thank you. For those of us (let's be honest, all of us) who are still on a tight grocery budget, download the Tasty app to browse and save hundreds of budget-friendly recipes — no subscription required.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Shoppers guide lists a dozen fruits and vegetables with pesticide residue
Eating more fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet is a message often touted by health and nutrition experts. But does it matter which fruits and vegetables? Or whether those fruits or vegetables are organic or not? And does it make a difference if they were treated with pesticides? An annual list created by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is billed as helping shoppers identify specific fruits and vegetables. However, another group has concerns with the list recommendations and questions its methodology. Since 2004, the EWG, a nonprofit advocacy group, has released its Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, containing a list of fruits and vegetables the group calls the "Dirty Dozen," or those deemed to have the most pesticide up with its annual list, the EWG said it reviewed pesticide residue data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on many fruits and vegetables.'EWG's Shopper's Guide is a tool to inform consumers and help them with their produce shopping choices, with the goal of everyone eating more fruits and vegetables,' said EWG Vice President for Science Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., in a news release. 'For people looking to reduce pesticide exposure, buying from the Clean Fifteen is a great place to start.' This year, the EWG list also reflected the overall toxicity of the detected pesticides. The Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF), which represents organic and conventional produce farmers, has long criticized EWG's annual list. 'We strongly support consumer choice when shopping for fruits and vegetables,' said Teresa Thorne, AFF's executive director, in an email to the Free Press. 'But this choice should not be influenced by this list, which peer-reviewed research has shown is not scientifically credible, nor are its recommendations supportable.' Instead, she said, consumers should be reassured by decades of toxicology studies, government data and nutrition research, which confirm the importance of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables on health as well as the exceptional safety of both organic and conventionally grown produce. In addition, the AFF cited in its news release that the USDA's Pesticide Data Program (PDP) found that more than '99% of foods sampled had residue levels well below EPA safety standards.' Only 1 in 10 Americans eats enough fruits and vegetables daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Consumers can and should disregard these types of lists," said Dr. Sylvia Klinger, DBA, MS, RD, founder of Hispanic and Multicultural Nutrition Communications," per AFF's news release. 'Simply follow the advice of dietitians and health experts and choose to eat more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in the vitamins and antioxidants that help our bodies fight and prevent diseases, improve overall health and increase lifespan," Klinger states in AFF's news release. This year, the EWG list also reflected the overall toxicity of the detected its Dirty Dozen list, the group says 'more than 9 in 10 samples of conventional, or non-organic produce contained residues of potentially harmful pesticides.' Leading the Dirty Dozen list is spinach, followed by strawberries, a group of kale, collard and mustard greens, grapes and peaches rounded out the top five. According to the EWG, more than 50 different pesticides were found on samples of the Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables, except for cherries. The group's Dirty Dozen has two new additions — blackberries and or conventional blackberries and potatoes came in at No. 10 and No. 12, respectively, on the 2025 list. Blackberries, which were never before tested by the USDA, the EWG says, revealed '93% of samples had pesticide residues, for an average of four different pesticides per sample.' One of the four pesticides is cypermethrin, which the group says is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection were added to the list because the EWG found USDA data revealing samples containing chlorpropham, a sprout inhibitor. In 2019, the European Union banned chlorpropham, the EWG says, out of health concerns for farmers and consumers. The EWG's annual list also features the group's 'Clean Fifteen' or fruits and vegetables deemed by them to contain the least pesticides. The group touts that 60% of samples of conventionally grown fruit and vegetables on its Clean Fifteen list in the Environmental Working Group's new Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce had no 'detectable pesticide residues.'Consumers can follow these produce-washing steps provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at to help remove pesticide residue, dirt and bacteria. Wash fruits and produce with cold or warm running tap water. If needed, scrub fruits and produce with a brush, but do not use soap or detergents. Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage. Clean hands, scrub brushes, utensils, cutting boards, colanders and sink before using to wash fresh fruits and vegetables. Spinach Strawberries Kale, collard and mustard greens Grapes Peaches Cherries Nectarines Pears Apples Blackberries Blueberries Potatoes Pineapples Sweet corn (fresh and frozen) Avocados Papaya Onion Sweet peas (frozen) Asparagus Cabbage Watermelon Cauliflower Bananas Mangoes Carrots Mushrooms Kiwi For a copy of the guide, go to Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@ Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Dirty Dozen' lists fruits and vegetables with pesticide residue
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
2 items added to ‘Dirty Dozen' list of most pesticide-contaminated produce
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) added blackberries and potatoes to its 'Dirty Dozen' list of produce containing the most residue of potentially harmful pesticides. Blackberries and potatoes landed in spots No. 10 and No. 12, respectively, on the updated list released Wednesday. They were added based on new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which tested blackberries for the first time in 2023. The USDA data found that 93 percent of blackberry samples had pesticide residues, with an average of four different pesticides per sample. More than half of blackberry samples contained residue of the pesticide cypermethrin — which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as a possible human carcinogen. Potatoes landed on the list after USDA released new data showing 90 percent of samples contained chlorpropham, a chemical banned in the European Union because of health concerns. The legacy produce still topped the 'Dirty Dozen' list. Spinach ranked No. 1, with more pesticide residue by weight than any other type of produce, and strawberries followed at No. 2. 'Kale, Collard, and Mustard Greens' collectively placed No. 3 — and EWG noted that more than half of kale samples were 'tainted' by a 'possibly cancer-causing pesticide.' The 'Dirty Dozen' list ranked grapes as No. 4, peaches as No. 5, cherries as No. 6, nectarines as No. 7, pears as No. 8, apples as No. 9, blackberries as No. 10, blueberries as No. 11 and potatoes as No. 12. The guide analyzed pesticide residue data from USDA tests of more than 53,000 samples of 47 fruits and vegetables, EWG said in a press release. The tests are conducted after the produce samples are washed, scrubbed or peeled, 'as is typical for each type of produce.' EWG said the pesticide residue remained on the produce, but washing fruits and vegetables 'remains an important step to reduce pesticide levels, dirt, and possible bacterial contamination.' EWG encourages consumers to buy organic produce if they do not want to avoid the 'Dirty Dozen' produce items. EWG also publishes a 'Clean Fifteen' list of produce with overall lower levels of toxicity. Pineapples led that list this year, followed by sweet corn (fresh and frozen), avocados, papayas and onion as the top five produce items. Nos. 6-15 included sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangoes, carrots, mushrooms, and kiwi. EWG said nearly 60 percent of conventionally grown produce on the 'Clean Fifteen' list had 'no detectable pesticide residues,' while more than 9 in 10 samples of produce on the 'Dirty Dozen' list contained residues of potentially harmful pesticides. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Hill
2 items added to ‘Dirty Dozen' list of most pesticide-contaminated produce
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) added blackberries and potatoes to its 'Dirty Dozen' list of produce containing the most residue of potentially harmful pesticides. Blackberries and potatoes landed in spots no. 10 and no. 12, respectively, on the updated list released Wednesday. They were added based on new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which tested blackberries for the first time in 2023. The USDA data found that 93 percent of blackberry samples had pesticide residues, with an average of four different pesticides per sample. More than half of blackberry samples contained residue of the pesticide cypermethrin — which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as a possible human carcinogen. Potatoes landed on the list after USDA released new data showing 90 percent of samples contained chlorpropham, a chemical banned in the European Union because of health concerns. The legacy produce still topped the 'Dirty Dozen' list. Spinach ranked no. 1, with more pesticide residue by weight than any other type of produce, and strawberries followed as no. 2. 'Kale, Collard, and Mustard Greens' collectively placed no. 3 — and EWG noted that more than half of kale samples were 'tainted' by a 'possibly cancer-causing pesticide.' The 'Dirty Dozen' list ranked grapes as no. 4, peaches as no. 5, cherries as no. 6, nectarines as no. 7, pears as no. 8, apples as no. 9, blackberries as no. 10, blueberries as no. 11 and potatoes as no. 12. The guide analyzed pesticide residue data from USDA tests of more than 53,000 samples of 47 fruits and vegetables, EWG said in a press release. The tests are conducted after the produce samples are washed, scrubbed or peeled, 'as is typical for each types of produce.' EWG said the pesticide residue remained on the produce, but washing fruits and vegetables 'remains an important step to reduce pesticide levels, dirt, and possible bacterial contamination.' EWG encourages consumers to buy organic produce if they do not want to avoid the 'Dirty Dozen' produce items. EWG also publishes a 'Clean Fifteen' list of produce with overall lower levels of toxicity. Pineapples led that list this year, followed by sweet corn (fresh and frozen), avocados, papayas and onion — as the top five produce items. Nos. 6-15 included sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangoes, carrots, mushrooms, and kiwi. EWG said nearly 60 percent of conventionally grown produce on the Clean Fifteen list had 'no detectable pesticide residues,' while more than 9 in 10 samples of produce on the 'Dirty Dozen' list contained residues of potentially harmful pesticides.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
These foods are new to the ‘dirty dozen' list of those with pesticide residue
Eating healthy can be enough of a chore without having to worry about consuming potentially harmful pesticides. But, new research from Environmental Working Group, a U.S. advocacy group also known as EWG, has found that more than 17 percent of non-organic fresh produce sold to Americans contains the residues of harmful pesticides. Relying on data from the Department of Agriculture, the group has released its annual list of foods they deem 'dirty' and 'clean' to help consumers make better-informed choices at the grocery store. 'EWG recommends shoppers seeking fresh produce with low pesticide residues buy organic versions of items on EWG's Dirty Dozen and either organic or conventional versions of produce on the Clean Fifteen,' EWG Senior Scientist Dr. Alexa Friedman said in a statement. 'There are also many organic and Clean Fifteen options in the frozen food aisle.' In total, more than 50 different pesticides were found on samples from each of the Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables, with the exception of cherries. But, that doesn't mean people should stop eating the produce. 'Everyone should eat more fruits and vegetables – organic or conventional,' said Friedman. 'But for those who want to reduce their exposure to pesticides, the Shopper's Guide can be a powerful tool to avoid consuming potentially harmful chemicals.' So, which foods do they advise you avoid of the nearly 50 in their analysis? Here's what to know... Spinach had more pesticide residue by weight than any other produce the group tested. Three-quarters of non-organic or conventional samples of the nutrient-rich vegetable are contaminated with a neurotoxic insecticide known as permethrin. It's often used to ward off mosquitoes, but can overwhelm the nervous system and result in tremors and seizures. Previous research has also found a link between lower-level exposure and neurological effects in children. Other fungicides have been used on spinach, including mandipropamid, fluopicolide, and ametoctradin, EWG said. The average American eats approximately eight pounds of strawberries annually. However, testing has found that the red fruit were the fresh produce item most likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues – even after they are picked and washed. They may come with dozens of pesticides, including the hormone-disrupting carbendazim and insecticide bifenthrin Some 86 percent of samples of leafy greens had detectable levels of two or more pesticide residues and nearly 60 percent of kale samples were contaminated with residues of a pesticide considered to be a possible carcinogen. Some 100 different pesticides have been found in leafy greens, including the potential carcinogen DCPA. Last August, the EPA issued an emergency suspension of all uses of DCPA. It can harm the lungs, liver, kidney, and thyroid. Grapes can also contain insecticides and fungicides. This is also true abroad, in India and Europe. Previously, more than 96 percent of grapes tested positive for pesticide residues. A summer staple, 99 percent of peaches were found to be contaminated in a previous test with 900 samples. 'The pesticides detected on peaches include fungicides, applied to control mold, as well as insecticides that can harm the nervous system of insects, wildlife and people,' the EWG said. The EWG has said in the past that an average of five pesticide residues were found on cherry samples. That includes iprodione, a fungicide that has been classified as a likely human carcinogen. The EWG has detected residues in nearly 94 percent of nectarine samples. One sample contained more than 15 different pesticide residues. More than six out of 10 non-organic pears recently tested by the Department of Agriculture have traces of five or more pesticides. That marks a dramatic jump from earlier tests. Furthermore, 95 percent of samples had at least one pesticide. Diphenylamine is used on apples to prevent them from developing brown or black patches. The chemical was found in 60 percent of tests on 334 raw non-organic samples. The EPA contends that diphenylamine treatment does not pose a risk to human health, but there are concerns regarding the presence of cancer-causing chemicals that may form on apples when diphenylamine is combined with nitrogen-containing compounds. Blackberries are a new addition to the 'dirty dozen.' The first test of the berries found than 93 percent of samples had pesticide residues, for an average of four different pesticides per sample. The pesticide cypermethrin, classified as a possible human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency, was detected on just over half of conventional blackberry samples. Blueberries are returning with traces of several toxic pesticides. They have been found on 90 percent of conventional samples. The insecticides phosmet and malathion have been found on blueberries. They are toxic to the human nervous system. Potatoes are also new to the list this year. They're also the most consumed vegetable in the U.S. New data, however, has revealed that 90 percent of samples contained chlorpropham, which can cause eye and skin irritation and other more severe problems.
