Summer is the season with the greatest variety of fruits and vegetables available. And, fruits and veggies are sources of water, healthy carbs and fiber, so they serve to keep you hydrated, energized, and full. (A fresh peach or a handful of berries is a great answer to a sweet craving!)
That said, many summer favorites have heavy pesticide residues. Pesticides are toxic by design – created expressly to kill living organisms. Want to eat that? Feed that to your kids? No, thanks.
Every year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes a list of the produce with the highest pesticide residues (based on extensive sampling and testing). Here’s the 2017 Dirty Dozen list:
Strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and potatoes.
If you are inclined to purchase organic, remember that list.
The EWG also publishes the Clean 15 list (which contain the lowest amounts of pesticides):
Sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cabbage, onions, sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplant, honeydew melon, kiwi, cantaloupe, cauliflower and grapefruit.
Regardless of which list they are on, wash them well and eat up. If you want more info about pesticides in and on your food, the link to the EWG website above is a solid, science-based place to start.