Pesticides are poisons that are used to kill insects that might destroy crops. Some pesticides also have the affect of warding off small animals and insects so they don’t damage harvested crops which are stored before being shipped to consumers. Pesticides help farmers by ensuring their crops will produce. However, studies show that levels of pesticides found in vegetables and fruits are higher than might be ideal for human consumption.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that each of us consume nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Because of the unknown long term effects on human health from consuming pesticides, we all need to find a balance by trying to prevent future health problems. By reducing the amount of pesticides we consume without reducing vegetable and fruit servings, we can find this balance. One method is to identify the levels of pesticide in different vegetables and fruits.
There are a number of very popular fruits and vegetables which have been found to have high levels of pesticides. The Environmental Working Group reports the following list of vegetables and fruits which contain the highest level of pollutants: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries.
It may not be enough to wash these fruits and vegetables in water, even when scrubbing away residue with a scrub brush (such as Fuller's #316 Premium Veggie Scrubber Brush or Fuller’s #315 Veggie Scrubber) designed to clean fruits and vegetables. Pesticides not only reside on the outside of the fruit or vegetable, but they also can permeate the core of the produce. Using organic cleansers (like #607 Veggie Clean Concentrate) with water and a scrub brush also does not guarantee the product is suitable for consumption, due to the high levels of contaminants found in these products.
Since the most thorough cleaning of highly contaminated fruits and vegetables cannot remove all traces of pesticides, purchasing organic vegetables from your local store is a better way to reduce pesticide consumption. It is still important to wash organic vegetables and fruit thoroughly before eating them. Also, using an organic cleanser (such as #607 Veggie Clean Concentrate ) with water safely cleans much more than pesticide from the food. The food your family eats will be thoroughly free of dirt pollutants from the air as well.
If you have trouble finding organic vegetables and fruits in your local store, you may want to grow your own. With your family, start a vegetable gardening project. By taking matters into your own hands and making a hobby of vegetable gardening in your own backyard, you can ensure your produce is fresh and pesticide free. If you run into problems with insects, you can always use organic pesticides which will not contaminate your food like regular pesticides can.
Vegetable gardening requires some planning and work to start, but many crops will continue to reproduce season after season. After some practice, you will be able to identify the right fruit and vegetable plants for the climate where you live. You will also be able to narrow down the products which work best for you, including organic pesticides and organic cleaners (like #607 Veggie Clean Concentrate) to be used before consuming your home-grown vegetables.
It is important to remember that buying organic or growing your own is not necessary for all fruit and vegetable types. The Environmental Working Group also provides a list of vegetables and fruits which are the least contaminated with pesticide residue. This list of vegetables and fruits includes asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangos, onion, papaya, pineapples, and sweet peas. For these fruits and vegetables, simply wash each piece of produce with fresh water or with an organic cleanser (such as #607 Veggie Clean Concentrate ) to ensure that all pesticides have been removed before you eat the food.
Since the long term outcomes of pesticide residues found in vegetables and fruits still have yet to be identified by researchers, it is especially important to use preventative strategies when consuming fruits and vegetables. Make sure to note the list of vegetables and fruits which are most and least contaminated with pesticides. You can then intelligently purchase and wash your foods in order to keep your vegetable and fruit intake high; but at the same time, keep pesticides to a minimum.
