Did you know that 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 with every portion of your ‘healthy’ greens.
The problem with today’s food is that most of the fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides, poisonous substances that can be harmful to our health.
Buying organic food is especially challenging for people living in big cities, where most of the fruits and vegetables are imported and suspicious.
If you want to buy the best organic food, visit the street market and talk to the farmers there.
Pesticides and Human Health
Pesticides are chemicals – synthetic or derived from natural sources – that kill unwanted insects, plants, fungi, and other potentially harmful pests. They’re used to protect our food supply.
Many scientists and watchdog groups worry that pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and young children are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of synthetic pesticide residues, especially during critical periods of development.
It’s not surprising, then, that many people try to minimize their intake of pesticide residues on foods, especially women of child-bearing age and parents of young children.
Last, but not least, pesticides have been known to cause cancer.
Some of the most common long term effects of pesticides include brain, bone, ovarian, prostate, testicular, liver, breast cancer, as well as diseases like leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
The Cure
It’s not necessary to spend money on expensive fruit and vegetable washes to do so. Rinsing vegetables with plain water is just as effective at reducing these contaminants.
Also, you can wash your fruits and vegetables with just a cup of cider vinegar, one tablespoon of baking soda, water and two tablespoons of lemon juice.
All you need to do is to put all the ingredients in a big bowl and mix them. Once you have the mixture ready, put the fruits and veggies into the bowl and let them stay there for five minutes.
Afterward, wash the fruits with water and let them dry. Now, they are ready for eating. By washing your food carefully, you protect the health of your whole family.