The Dirty Dozen

A while ago, I came across a produce list called the “Dirty Dozen” which is updated every year. On this list are vegetables and fruit with the highest load of pesticides found on supermarket shelves every day. Should we be concerned about this? As many, I do feel concerned. Of course, an accumulation of toxins in the body can have adverse effects and lead to illness. However, being stressed about what we eat is certainly not helpful for good health either. Therefore, opting for organic is wise. But what about availability and the cost of these foods? In many areas, fresh, organic produce is hard to come by. Organic may also mean paying more and that’s simply not an option for everyone.

Grocery shopping has become somewhat daunting with what we hear and if we were to eliminate everything deemed unhealthy, it feels like we’d end up leaving with an empty cart!

I think being aware of where our food comes from is the first step to feeling better about what we eat. Buying local is one way to guarantee fresher foods, and it’s also easier to find out how these items were produced, raised or grown.

The latest “Dirty Dozen” analysis was conducted in 2023 on more than 46,000 samples of 46 types of fruit and vegetables, sourced from various conventional growers.* The list may slightly vary from year to year, but the latest results included the following items distributed throughout Canada and the United States:

Dirty Dozen List 2023

Strawberries • Spinach • Kale, collard & mustard greens • Peaches • Pears • Nectarines • Apples • Bell & hot peppers • Grapes • Cherries • Blueberries • Green beans

Excluding these items completely from our diet wouldn’t make much sense, therefore finding their organic counterparts would be ideal. But another wonderful option — my favorite, of course — would be to grow some of these yourself!

For instance, spinach, kale, collard and mustard greens are all cool season vegetables (there are so many more, I’ll write about those soon) and thrive in cooler spring temperatures. Seeds can be sown directly in the garden a few weeks before the last frost, which is usually at the beginning of May where we live (zone 3).

Green beans also grow nicely in Alberta; however, they love warm weather and should be sown at the beginning of June when the soil has sufficiently warmed up and the dangers of frost have passed.

As for fruit, strawberries are an excellent choice to have in your garden as they grow well in many climates (zones 3-10). Choosing cultivars adapted to your growing zone is best; for example, the Montana variety grows superbly in Alberta. They produce an abundance of berries from early summer to late fall and do well in raised beds or containers.

How about planting an apple tree in your backyard? There are many hardy varieties that grow in colder zones; simply visit a local nursery to find that perfect, fruit-bearing tree!    

Starting a garden can be a gratifying activity. There are numerous upsides to growing your own food such as benefitting from the greater vitamin content of freshly picked produce, and having complete control over how your food is grown. Gardening also contributes to a sense of accomplishment and an elevated mood!

*Data provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration.

**All photos were taken in our gardens. ©