To be able to “vote with your fork” is a privilege that not everyone has, and the “Dirty Dozen” list creates fears about consuming fresh produce, especially when organic versions of foods on the list are not readily available or are not affordable.

A 2016 study of low-income shoppers found that when presented with five statements about organically and conventionally grown produce, the statement that mentioned EWG and listed the fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide levels resulted in more shoppers saying they were less likely to purchase any fruits and vegetables.

I’ve had some clients tell me they eat less produce because the simple act of shopping for it is more stressful thanks to the “Dirty Dozen.”

It’s common to want to avoid things that make us uncomfortable or make us have to think too hard — especially when all we want to do is get our grocery shopping done and go home.

We benefit from eating more produce, period. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals that support our health generally, and in some cases may help reduce chronic disease risk. These benefits far outweigh the risk of being exposed to trace amounts of pesticide residue that are far below the upper safety limits.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here.