A Quick Guide to Cleaner Eating

We can’t always afford to eat completely organically, and even if we can, we sometimes can’t get the variety of foods necessary to give us optimum nutrition. So how can we eat more cleanly, and potentially more safely, without busting the budget or missing out on vital nutrients? With the help of figures from the USDA, FDA  and the US Environmental Working Group*, below is a listing of the most and least contaminated fruits and vegetables. This list includes both domestically grown and imported produce. The figures are based on measurable pesticides in the eaten portion of the foods studied (i.e. after washing and peeling). Additionally, there is also a short list of other staple foods that are good to buy organic.

There will inevitably be differences between the way pesticides and other chemicals are used in the US and the UK, but due to in the natural susceptibility of the same crops being subject to pests and diseases, this US-based listing may act as a guide. The US also grows many foods that we in the UK cannot, principally citrus and tropical fruits, and will have more stringent domestic pesticide and agricultural chemical guidelines than some countries from which the UK imports. Even so, it is important to bear in mind that it is important to eat a sensible, balanced diet, whether organic or not: conventionally and organically grown/reared foods have to meet the same strict food safety regulations. For plant foods especially, the phytochemical ‘anticancer’ properties are overwhelmingly more beneficial than the pesticides may be harmful.

Dirtiest (most contaminated fruits and vegetables)

Peaches (most-fruit), Apples, Strawberries, Blueberries

Nectarines, Cherries, Grapes, Raspberries, Plums

Celery(most-vegetable), Peppers, Spinach, Kale

Green Beans, Potatoes, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Carrots

Cleanest (least contaminated fruits and vegetables)

Avocadoes (least-fruit), Pineapple, Mango, Kiwi, Cantaloupe,

Watermelon/Honeydew, Grapefruit, Plums

Onions (least-vegetable), Sweetcorn, Asparagus, Peas, Cabbage, 

Cauliflower, Broccoli, Sweet potatoes, Mushrooms

*(equivalent UK figures are not currently available through the Pesticide Residue Committee/Health and Safety Executive)

Good To Go Organic – below are some commonly consumed products that tend to have higher levels of agricultural chemicals than the organic equivalent. But again, the levels fall well within our strict food safety limits.

Meat and Poultry – aside from considerations about antibiotic residue, pork, beef and chicken skin (less so in meat itself) can be contaminated with pesticides and fertilisers used to grow the animals’ feed and on the grazing land itself.

Milk and Dairy Products – there are higher levels of pesticides and other man-made chemicals found in conventionally reared dairy cows.

Coffee – most of the beans used in our coffee come from countries with fewer restrictions on the use of agricultural and processing chemicals.