A pesticide is any substance used to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life that are considered to be pests. Pesticides might be present in fruits and vegetables that are sold in the market.
According to the Department of Agriculture of USA, 65{b5442c3e3e6a32b79acfb18e4ea76a61324e49fe7d16a1019e702a8ee5c82a8d} of the specimens that were tested turned out to be positive for pesticides.
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said: “high levels of pesticide residues can be toxic enough to cause long-term cancer, damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, birth defects, and severe disruption of the immune system.”
The products which are the most abundant with pesticides are celery, peaches, apples, little tomatoes, purple, berries, cucumbers, snap peas, sweet bell peppers, spinach, collard greens, kale, and hot peppers.
Purchasing organic food is a better solution although it can be a little expensive. Also take certain measures to minimize any kind of health damage.
Here are the 3 simple ways to remove pesticides from fruits and vegetables:
1. Wash all fruits and vegetables
*Make sure to regularly clean and wash them. Washing them with 2{b5442c3e3e6a32b79acfb18e4ea76a61324e49fe7d16a1019e702a8ee5c82a8d} of salt water will remove most of the contact pesticide residues that normally appear on the surface of the vegetables and fruits. Almost 75 to 80 percent of pesticide residues are removed by cold water washing.
2. Vinegar soak
*The experts recommend using white vinegar so you can be able to wash them thoroughly. Just mix 1 part vinegar and 3 parts white vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray the mixture on your vegetable and fruit. Make sure to rub them with a comb before washing them with water.
3. Blanch and Peel
*Treat your vegetables to warm water for a short while and this should remove any leftover residue. Peeling is another efficient way to remove residue and comes highly recommended especially when there might be some residue in the crevices of the fruit. Also, when cooking with chicken or meat, cut off the excess fat and skin as it could have absorbed unwanted pesticide residue.
Source: Healthandhealthyliving
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