Healthy Hollywood: Try It On Tuesday – Avoid Veggies’ Dirty Dozen!

You eat healthy. Cut out sugar! Limit alcohol! And, of course get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables – yet you still need to worry about toxic food. That’s right; some of the best veggies and fruits are covered in poison.

The Environmental Working Group (aka EWG) is out to protect you and your family from contaminated produce.

“You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated,” points out nutritionist Amy Hendel. The EWG recently released its list of the top 12 dirtiest fruits and vegetables.

Included on the Dirty Dozen list are:

Apples

Celery

Sweet bell peppers

Peaches

Strawberries

Imported nectarines

Grapes

Spinach

Lettuce

Cucumbers

Domestic blueberries

Potatoes

“The purpose of the list is to make your aware and reduce pesticide exposure –NOT to negate eating fruits and veggies that are fresh! Despite the fact that pesticide regulations have helped to remove many pesticides that were considered “cumulatively dangerous” for humans, organophosphate insecticides are not banned and are considered dangerous to the nervous system,” adds Amy.

Yet, before you toss that apple – read on!

“Experts recommend that if possible you buy organic when it comes to these fruits and veggies since in many cases we eat the skin or the whole fruit or vegetable and don’t peel off the skin – which contains most of the pesticide residue,” suggests Amy, who wrote the family nutrition book, “The 4 Habits of Healthy Families.”

Amy advises buying organic on the “higher up” choices when possible and always peel and wash vigorously when possible. And, frozen fruits and veggies are available year round and can include a mix of fresh and frozen in your diet.

For more nutrition tips, check out Amy’s website at www.healthgal.com.

— Terri MacLeod