Despite their releases of the so-called “Dirty Dozen” list and “Shoppers Guides” recommending consumption of organic fruits and vegetables, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) calls conventional grown produce “Best Foods.”  While Consumer Reports (CR) consistently recommends in various reports, books and articles regarding healthy eating, diet plans, disease prevention and food insecurity to eat more fruits and vegetables without differentiating between organic and conventional at all.

EWG’s Food Scores: 

In its Food Scores report, EWG lists conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, blueberries, pears, apples, spinach, kale and all the other produce items on the so-called “Dirty Dozen” list as “Best Foods.”  EWG “ranks” foods on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being the “worst.”  EWG states it emphasizes nutrition in its “Food Scores” and consistently gives conventionally grown produce a “Best” score and states: “These wholesome products are key components of a healthy diet.”

So, EWG, how can one of your reports state conventionally grown produce is “Dirty” and scare consumers away from eating them and in another report they are “Best Foods” and “key components to a healthy diet?”

Consumer Reports:

A simple search of Consumer Report articles, guides and books finds CR consistently recommends increasing daily consumption of fruits and vegetables to prevent diseases, improve health and increase lifespan.  There is no differentiation between organic and conventional produce by CR in any of the articles we reviewed, just the recommendation to eat more fruits and vegetables every day or providing guidance for eating fresh produce on a budget or in a food insecure household.

Some Excerpts from CR articles:

“When it comes to vegetables, the more you eat, the better. But eating a variety of them is the way to get the biggest health boost because they all supply different nutrients. Spring is a good time of year to break out of a veggie rut and try some that may not be in your normal rotation.”

“Eating blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and other berries can be a boon to health. They’re packed with anthocyanins—the antioxidants that give berries their vivid red and blue colors— and other flavonoids that studies suggest may help improve brain function, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and maintain a healthy weight. Berries are also rich in fiber—especially raspberries and blackberries, which have about 8 grams of fiber (nearly a third of your daily need) per cup.”

“It’s easier than you think to eat healthfully on a budget,” says Yang, the NYU nutritionist. She notes that these items are often both inexpensive and nutritious: frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, canned or dried beans and whole-wheat pasta.”

The “Best/Dirty” and “Only Organic” inconsistencies underscore that both group’s “Shoppers Guides” released within a month of each other should be ignored in favor of the simple consumer message to eat more produce every day for better health and a longer life.  What’s also concerning is that these guides often contradict and compete with each other adding further confusion for consumers.

The science confirming the safety of conventionally grown along with decades of nutrition research showing the significant health benefits of a produce-rich diet prove the best message for consumers is to support THEIR choices when shopping for produce:  Buy the fruits and vegetables you enjoy and are affordable and accessible for you and your family.

Let’s let consumers be their own guides.