Pesticides are hazardous to health and should not be absorbed into our bodies if possible. That’s why you should always clean fruit and vegetables properly – even if you don’t eat the peel.
Pesticides on fruits and vegetables: where are they used?
These are various chemical-synthetic substances that are toxic to very specific organisms. Herbicides are used against weeds, fungicides are used against fungi and so-called insecticides are used against insects. In Europe alone, around 290 different substances are permitted. Of course, in conventional agriculture there are strict regulations regarding the amount and type of use of pesticides.
These are EU maximum values that must not be exceeded. Therefore, most fruits and vegetables contain only small amounts of residues, but in which combination and with what effects on the body remains questionable.
In order to avoid the intake of harmful substances as much as possible, you should always remove pesticides from your fruit and vegetables.
How do you properly remove pesticides?
If you want to thoroughly rid your fruits and vegetables of pesticides, there are two simple methods:
Wash fruits and vegetables carefully under running water and rub them well with a cloth. This removes even more residue. Also wash varieties with skin that we don’t eat (citrus fruits, melons, pumpkins, bananas), because when you cut them up, residues and dirt can get straight from the skin to the inside of the pulp and be eaten.
However, the most effective method is provided by an American study from 2017: Scientists from the University of Massachusetts found that you can use water mixed with baking soda or baking soda for cleaning. It is much more thorough and removes almost all pesticides. However, you will need to leave your fruit and veg in the solution for about 15 minutes. Here are the exact instructions: Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 200 ml of tap water. Mix both together briefly and add the fruit.
The safest way to avoid using pesticides is to buy organic fruits and vegetables. Organically grown vegetables and fruits can be eaten with their skins without hesitation, as chemical-synthetic pesticides are generally not permitted in organic farming.
