About 65% of produce samples analyzed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture test positive for pesticide residues. Unless you’re buying certified organic food, the chances are that you’re consuming a significant amount of chemicals. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report in 2012 that warned that children have unique susceptibilities to pesticide residues’ potential toxicity.
Wash your food carefully to protect the health of your whole family:
- Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling gets rid of pesticide residues in the skin, but valuable nutrients are often removed with the skin.
- The best way to wash produce is to place the fruit or vegetable in a colander and run water over it, rather than just dunk it in a bowl. The force of running water will drive off most residues. Be thorough when washing fruits and vegetables, as chemicals can linger in crevices that are hard to wash. If done diligently, washing with cold water should be able to remove 70%-80% of all pesticides.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables may also be washed in a distilled white vinegar and water solution. Let the produce soak in a solution of 10% vinegar to 90% water for 15-20 minutes. When you remove the produce, you’ll note that the water in the bowl is dirty and may contain some gunk. Rinse produce in fresh water, and then enjoy your cleaner product. This method should not be used on fragile fruits, such as berries, as they have very porous skin and might absorb too much vinegar or get damaged. With other fruits, there should be no lingering vinegar aroma. If you wish, you can also use lemon juice.
- According to the Center for Science and Environment (CSE), it also helps to wash fruits and vegetables with a 2% salt water solution. This should remove most of the contact pesticide residues that normally appear on the surface.
- The best approach: eat a varied diet, wash and scrub all produce thoroughly, and buy organic when possible.
Fruits and vegetables where the organic label matters the most: According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that analyzes the results of government pesticide testing in the U.S., the following 15 fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide levels on average. Because of their high pesticide levels when conventionally grown, it is best to buy these organic:
- Apples
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Spinach
- Sweet bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Imported snap peas
- Potatoes
- Hot peppers
- Leafy greens: kale and collard greens
Non-organic fruits and vegetables with low pesticide levels: These conventionally grown fruits and vegetables were found to have the lowest levels of pesticides. Most of these have thicker skin, which naturally protects them better from pests and also means their production does not require the use of as many pesticides:
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Mangos
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Papayas*
- Pineapples
- Sweet corn*
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Sweet potatoes
*A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from genetically engineered (GE) seedstock. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid GE produce.
References:
- “EWG’s 2015 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.” Environmental Working Group (EWG). (Source: www.ewg.org/foodnews/)
- “Tips and Advice for a Healthy Lifestyle: Nutrition and Public Health.” (Source: www.dianesays.com)
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