A couple of weeks ago, I talked about research suggesting organic foods might help prevent weight gain, so this week seemed like a natural jump into the 2021 Dirty Dozen list. The reason is that while I’m taking organic foods far more seriously as a part of my shopping list, I wanted to know if I should just get some organics or try to eat only organics.
Letting the 2021 Dirty Dozen List Guide Me
I have always liked the list of the Environmental Working Group’s worst fruits and veggies in terms of the pesticides they contain. It’s made me take organic spinach and strawberries far more seriously since they are consistently at the top of the list, year after year, not just on the 2021 Dirty Dozen list. However, after learning about the impact of certain common pesticides on promoting weight gain, I’m focused more heavily on all those 12 worst offenders. This way, I can keep myself free of those chemicals that are having a measured impact on my wellness and my weight control!
I’ve decided that I don’t need to make everything organic. Those foods may not be as expensive as they used to be (when compared to conventionally grown food – all food is expensive), but I’d still like to save my pennies here and there if there isn’t much of a difference between the organic and conventionally grown counterpart in terms of pesticide content.
Saving Money with the Clean Fifteen List
In general, foods with inedible or thick skins don’t let the pesticide residue get through into the inner part of the food. It stays on the outside, which gets tossed into the compost bin. The best trick there is simply to wash the outside of that avocado, cabbage or mushroom – and wash your hands – before preparing it.
The Environmental Working Group didn’t just put out a 2021 Dirty Dozen list this year. As in previous years, it also released a 2021 Clean Fifteen list. These foods are the ones that are either least likely to have had pesticides used on them, or that have inedible skins thick enough that the pesticides don’t reach the part we eat.
So, just as I let the 2021 Dirty Dozen list guide me as to the foods I should prioritize for organic purchases, the Clean Fifteen list gives me a place to focus my spending on whichever item is cheapest and freshest looking.
