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Dirty Dozen
Dirty Dozen/Clean 15: It’s a challenge to always buy organic produce. So we recommend focusing on the Dirty Dozen. This list, compiled by the Environmental Working Group, tells us which vegetables and fruits have the highest loads of pesticide residue, with more types of pesticides and higher concentrations of pesticides. Very recently, the EWG added a 13th item, hot peppers. So when we have to choose between organic and conventionally grown, we make sure to buy the Dirty Dozen organic. Conversely, we worry less about the Clean 15, which are least likely to contain pesticide residue.
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Nectarines
4. Apples
5. Peaches
6. Pears
7. Cherries
8. Grapes
9. Celery
10. Tomatoes
11. Sweet bell peppers
12. Potatoes
+. Hot Peppers
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• Certified organic: This is the gold  standard, because the U.S. Department of Agriculture has strict rules for it. In short, organic produce and other foods are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Livestock that’s certified organic do not take antibiotics or growth hormones, eat only certified-organic feed or graze on organic land, have a certain amount of access to the outdoors, and more.
• Made with organic ingredients: This means at least 70 percent of the ingredients are certified organic.
• Non-GMO Project Verified: We recommend avoiding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) whenever possible. They’re grown using harmful chemicals and we simply don’t know whether or not they’re safe to eat. Plus, they can be damaging to animals and the environment. The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization with a rigorous verification process that ensures any company that carries its seal doesn’t make or use any GMO products in production.
• Certified Humane: This is another seal, this time from the nonprofit Humane Farm Animal Care. Meat, eggs or poultry with this seal on the package are raised under rigorous standards throughout their lives; they aren’t kept in cages or crates, they must be able to engage in their natural behaviors (including spending time outside), they have ample space, shelter and gentle handling, and they’re fed high-quality food.
• Pastured or pasture-raised: Though there isn’t a centralized definition for this term, generally it means that chickens, cows or pigs were able to graze on open pasture, weather permitting. Animals that are allowed to graze and forage on open land as opposed to commercial feed, tend to be more nutritious. When it comes to eggs from pasture raised chickens, they are more rich in omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, B vitamins and Iodine. Bottom line: try to choose organic pasture raised first. If this is not an option for you or your market does not carry go for organic.
• 100% grass fed: If you eat meat, make sure it’s 100% grass fed whenever possible. Once again, it’s better for you, the cows and the environment. Grass-fed meat is higher in heart-healthy, inflammation-fighting omega-3 fats as well as conjugated linoleic acid, which can fight cancer and help manage body weight. Make sure it’s 100% grass-fed; if it’s grain finished, you lose some of the benefits.
 • Wild caught: Fish that are caught in oceans, rivers and seas where they swam freely are a better choice than farmed, which can be loaded with toxins and also bad for the environment. For the most sustainable, lowest-mercury fish, check out Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch recommendations.
TIP: Buying fresh veggies? (Good for you!) Check the label: If it starts with a 9, then it’s certified organic. (Photo credit: Huffington Post)
• All natural: This seems like it should be straightforward, but it isn’t. There isn’t a standard definition for this term, and it isn’t regulated. “Natural” foods can contain synthetic pesticides, GMOs, hormones, and preservatives. Watch out for “natural flavors,” too—these only have to contain an element that is somehow naturally derived, but it can be manipulated in a lab to something far away from what you or we think of as “natural.”
• No added hormones: Beware of this when buying pork or chicken. All pork and poultry products in the U.S. must be produced without added hormones, so putting this on the label is a marketing ploy designed to make you think the product is healthier than others. Not nice.
• Cage free/Free Range: Some cage-free eggs are produced in a way that’s less cruel to chickens, and some aren’t, so this isn’t a good term to use to make a buying decision. Neither cage free nor free range has a regulated definition so although they sound good, neither term tells you what you need to know. Certified Humane and/or organic (and/or pastured) are clearer.
Shopping at a farmer’s market? Buying organic is always a good choice, but you can save money and still get top-notch food by chatting with the farmer (or the person working the booth). Becoming certified organic isn’t possible for all farms, but it may be that there’s only one spray or method keeping them from that certification, or they may not be able to afford the process of getting it. Ask these questions of your farmer:
- Where was this grown? Ideally they can tell you the name of the farm and where it is, so you aren’t buying from a re-seller .
- How do you control pests and weeds? This is a good question for non-certified organic farms, which may still use organic practices.We love the bread and cereal brand One Degree Organic Foods, who pride themselves on “honest, traceable foods”. Their products are also Glyphosate tested, and you can track exactly which farm/farmer the product ingredients are from by using a QR or product code.
- How do you raise your livestock? This is good to ask if you’re buying meat, eggs or poultry. Find out if the animals have regular access to the outdoors and what they’re fed. Some farmers will even whip out photos of the animals and tell you their names.
- Here are more questions if you want to dive deeper. It’s worth it; this simple conversation may get your super-delicious and nutrient rich locally grown food for less (and you can support a local farmer at the same time).
WANT MORE?
Use these trusted resources to answer all of your label questions:
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