washing fruits

Question
Hi Karen,
Recently I have been concerned about eating fruits and veggies found in the supermarket. Is there a way to wash them to make sure all the insecticide that was sprayed on them while growing is off?  Do you consider this to be real concern? I would appreciate your insight. I am trying to live a healthier lifestyle as a New Years resolution.

Thanks
Joe  

Answer
Hi Joe,

Some fruits and vegetables are known to have higher concentrations of pesticides than others. The produce with the highest tested pesticide residues includes:

Strawberries, cherries, apples, Mexican cantaloupe, Chilean grapes, raspberries, apricots, peaches, pears, nectarines, spinach, bell peppers, celery, green beans, potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots.

The least contaminated with pesticides include:

avocados, onions, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, green peas, eggplant, bananas, pineapple, watermelon, plums, grapefruit and mangoes.

It's worth noting also that pesticides tend to accumulate in fatty material. Hence fatty meats, fish, and dairy products will have higher pesticide residue than the low-fat products (pesticide residues accumulate in animal tissue from the plant material the animals eat).

There are a number of ways to minimize your exposure to pesticides. Firstly, eat a variety of foods. This will lessen your exposure to any one pesticide. Secondly, fruits and vegetables should be properly washed or peeled before eating. Fruits and vegetables with edible peels can be cleaned by scrubbing with a brush. Researchers in Texas substantially reduced the pesticide residues on 17 popular fruits and vegetables by washing in a *dilute* solution of dish detergent (1 tsp. per gallon of water), then rinsing in slightly warm water. The outer leaves of vegetables (lettuce and cabbage) should be discarded since these are the ones most contaminated. Thirdly, you can buy organically grown produce (focusing on those items that are known to be the most contaminated), usually at a higher price.

All that being said, studies consistently show health benefits of consuming lots of fruits and vegetables, organic or not, so please don't let your concern about pesticides stop you from eating lots of produce!

Be Well,

Karen
www.getfitwithkaren.com  

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