Lifestyle
The Environmental Working Group’s 2020 Clean Fifteen List
The fruit and veggies with the least pesticide residues
1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet Peas
(frozen)
7. Eggplants
8. Asparagus
9. Cauliflower
10. Cantaloupes
11. Broccoli
12. Mushrooms
13. Cabbage
14. Honeydew Melon
15. Kiwi
1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet Peas
(frozen)
7. Eggplants
8. Asparagus
9. Cauliflower
10. Cantaloupes
11. Broccoli
12. Mushrooms
13. Cabbage
14. Honeydew Melon
15. Kiwi
* A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from genetically modified seeds. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid genetically modified produce.
Less than 2% of avocados and sweet corn samples showed any detectable pesticides.
Almost 70% of Clean Fifteen samples had no pesticide residues.
MY LIST OF 20 HEALTHY SWAPS
| INSTEAD OF THIS | IS THERE A HEALTHIER WAY OF CONSUMING IT…? | HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE | WHY? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut butter | Choose peanut butter, without any added sugar or any other additive | Almond butter or cashew nut butter | Almonds contain less saturated fats than peanuts. Always choose without added sugar or additives |
| Fruit yogurt | Read the labels, avoid the one’s with lots of sugar (which is rare) | Natural yogurt with added fresh fruits (and raw honey) | Fruits yogurts usually have huge amounts of sugar. Don’t be fooled by the label “fat-free”, as those usually contain even more sugar. |
| French fries / potatoes |
Baked potatoes instead of French fries | Baked sweet potatoes | Sweat potatoes have higher amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C and fewer calories |
| Cow’s milk | Choose organic milk to avoid added antibiotics and hormones | Goat milk | Goat milk has lesser lactose, lower sodium, smaller and easy to digest fats. |
| White Sugar | There is no healthy way of consuming white sugar! | Raw honey, dates, coconut sugar, maple syrup, mashed bananas, cinnamon, stevia | White sugar should be eliminated from any diet, replace with healthier natural alternatives |
| Jam | Homemade jam | Smashed fresh fruits | Commercial jam are loaded with sugar |
| Sugary snacks | Dark chocolate in small amounts, the darker, the better | Nuts, seeds, fresh fruits | Don’t get your children used to eat sugary food, the more they eat it, the more they will grave it. |
| Mayonnaise | Homemade mayonnaise using olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil* | Hummus, natural yogurt or smashed avocado | Mayonnaise is high in refined, processed vegetable oils |
| Soy sauce | Low-sodium, organic soy sauce | Tamari, Coconut Amino sauce | Soy sauce is loaded with sodium |
| Ketchup | Limit amounts to 1 teaspoon | Tomato sauce or mustard | Ketchup is full of sugar and artificial ingredients |
| Sugary cereals | Avoid all cereal with added sugar, make sure to read the labels | Oatmeal; prepare with lots of seeds and some fresh fruit | Oats are high in fiber and lower in sugar than commercially bought (instead of brought) cereal |
| Canola oil | Stay away from all refined vegetable oils, they are highly inflammatory | Extra Virgin, Coconut oil, Avocado oil, Olive oil | Fat is essential to a healthy diet, but it needs to be the right fat. |
| Margarine | To avoid completely | Butter (or ghee) from grass-fed cows | Margarine is an artificial product that contains industrial, highly processed fats |
| Fruit juice | Fresh pressed juice in small amounts | Whole fruits | Fruit juices have a high content of sugar, without the beneficial fibers of the actual fruit |
| Ice cream | Homemade is always best, because you know exactly what goes in | Blended frozen banana | Blend frozen bananas in a high speed blender and the consistency will be like ice cream |
| Microwave Popcorn | Prepare popcorn in a pan with coconut oil or avocado oil | Buy plain, organic popcorn kernels to prepare your own popcorn | The microwavable bags are coated with chemicals and butter flavor used in an artificial, unhealthy substitute |
| White rice | Basmati rice is a better white rice option | Brown rice, wild rice, red rice | White rice is stripped from its nutrients |
| Mashed potatoes | Homemade mashed potatoes with fresh ingredients | Pumpkin mash, sweet potato mash, cauliflower mash | Pumpkin, sweat potatoes and cauliflower are more nutrient dense than white potato |
| Wheat pasta | Instead of only wheat paste, add more variety | Quinoa pasta, chia pasta | Quinoa pasta is more nutrient dense and you can often find a gluten-free version |
| Plastic containers & bottles |
Never put hot food in plastic and never heat plastic | Glass containers and glass (or metal) bottle | Plastic container and bottle leak chemicals in the food, especially if the plastic has scratches or is in high temperature |
Rainbow of Health
WHITE & BROWN
FRUITS
- Coconuts
- Pears
- White nectarines
- White peaches
VEGETABLES
- White Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
- Jicama
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Radish
- Sauerkraut
- Shallots
- Turnip
BENEFITS
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-bacteria
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cell protection
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Heart Health
- Hormone Health
- Liver Health
YELLOW & ORANGE
FRUITS
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Cantaloupe
- Lemon
- Nectarines
- Oranges
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pineapple
VEGETABLES
- Carrots
- Sweet Potatoes
- Squash
- Yellow & Red Peppers
- Pumpkin
BENEFITS
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cell protection
- Heart Health
- Skin Health
RED
FRUITS
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Red Apples
- Goji berries
- Red Grapes
- Pomegranate
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
VEGETABLES
- Beets
- Radishes
- Red peppers
- Red onions
- Rhubard
- Tomatoes
BENEFITS
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cell protection
- Heart Health
- Hormone Health
- Liver Health
- Gastrointestinal Health
BLUE & PURPLE
FRUITS
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Plums
- Prunes
- Purple Grapes
VEGETABLES
- Purple Asparagus
- Purple Cabbage
- Purple Cauliflower
- Purple Sweet Potato
- Purple onion
- Eggplant
BENEFITS
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cell protection
- Cognitive Health
- Heart Health
- Liver Health
GREEN
FRUITS
- Avocados
- Figs
- Green apples
- Green pears
- Honeydew
- Olives
VEGETABLES
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Brussel Sprouts
- Celery
- Collard Greens
- Cucumber
- Green Beans
- Spinach
- Kale
- Bok Choy
- Lettuce
- Chard
- Peas
- Zucchini
BENEFITS
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-inflammatory
- Brain Health
- Cell protection
- Heart Health
- Hormone Health
- Liver Health
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Urinary Tract Health