How to Rid Your Produce of Pesticide Residue

Dangerous pesticide residues are regularly detected on conventional produce. If buying organic food is not an option, here are a few ways to limit your exposure to pesticides.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vinegar
• Vinegar
• Mixing Bowls
• Produce Cleaners
• Mixing bowls

1. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a large bowl. Soak produce briefly yet thoroughly, and rinse well with water.

2. Use produce cleaners developed specifically to break down and remove waxes and other sealants holding pesticides on the food.

3. Cut your risk of exposure in half by using caution when consuming the 12 crops determined to have the most toxic residues. In order, they are: strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe from Mexico, celery, apples, apricots, green beans, grapes from Chile and cucumbers.

4. Fill up on foods that tend to have lower levels of detected residues. These include, in order: avocados, corn, onions, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, grapes from the United States, bananas, plums, scallions, watermelon and broccoli.

5. Eat a wide variety of all fruits and vegetables to limit your exposure to any one pesticide.

6. Wash all produce carefully. Pesticides are intentionally applied to stay on during wet weather and do not rinse off easily. Conventional farmers go as far as using bleach to rid lettuce and other leafy crops of dangerous residues.

Tips & Warnings

• Most importantly, don't stop eating at least five daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture and the American Cancer Society. The benefits of eating fresh produce for reducing certain types of cancer and heart disease are undisputed.
• Learn where your food is coming from and buy as many locally grown products as possible. Produce traveling long distances is often sprayed with pesticides after harvest, and fungicide waxes are more likely to have been applied to preserve food during transport.
• Look for conventionally grown produce that has been screened for pesticide residue. Grocery stores often post signs saying which items have passed the test. If there are no signs, ask the produce manager.
• Small children, the elderly and people with suppressed immune systems are more vulnerable to environmental dangers of all kinds, and pesticides are no exception. All of these high-risk groups should be especially careful about limiting exposure to toxins.

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[wydlynn]

on 11/22/2007 And, if you drink wine, buy organic. The vineyards don't wash the grapes in a way that will remove pesticide residue. A splash of water won't remove anything. Your wine is a nice big bottle of pesticides. Buy organic.

on 11/22/2005 When buying fruits and vegetables to eat raw, buy organic produce. More and more stores and markets are carrying organic foods, and some states such as California have established standards for applying the term 'organic.'