Fresh fruit and vegetables are the best, and I've worked hard to incorporate more of them into my daily diet these past years. With inflation, supply-chain issues and other world events, sometimes the cost of organic versus non-organic has me debating about what's more important on that particular day - cost or my health. Some say that produce that have thicker skins (or peelable skins) like bananas aren't as crucial to buy as organic because pesticides/chemicals aren't able to penetrate the skin (and ultimately end up inside of us!). But, how do you really know??

The latest version of the "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides In Produce" has been released. (You might have heard of it as the "Dirty Dozen" or the "Clean Fifteen.") To create these lists, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzes more than 45,000 different produce samples.

Of particular note in 2024, on the "dirty" list:

🍒 Strawberries remain the “dirtiest” item, still holding the No. 1 spot.

On a positive note:

🥑 Avocados were at the top of the "Clean Fifteen" list!

For the full roundup of these lists, and to find out where your favorite fruits and veggies stand on the "clean" and "dirty" scales, get your (free) copy 👉 https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

📸: Mental Floss