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Posted By
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June 12, 2008, 8:35 pm
Flag as Inappropriate skatss
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Subject
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How To Make Your Produce Safer
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If you don't think buying organic foods is worth the price, then you can do something to get rid of some of the pesticides that your fruit and vegetables have on it
Buy locally grown produce in season. Produce grown on small nearby farms is less likely to be treated with pesticide waxes used to inhibit fungus growth on produce that's shipped long distances. So even if pesticides are used in growing the produce, that is one pesticide that you don't need to worry about.
Wash fruits and vegetables and peel them when possible. One study found that washing produce with a mix of water and mild dishwashing detergent or even bleach, then peeling the skins and (for lettuce and cabbage) removing the outer leaves eliminated pesticide residues in 21% of fruits and vegetables.
Peeling alone eliminated all of the residues in bananas, carrots, and potatoes. Similarly, corn had no residues after it was shucked.
At least the unwanted poisons on some of the foods will be eliminated this way.
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Comments
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June 13, 2008, 6:30 am
Flag as Inappropriate Ricardo says...
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Thanks for the information. Have you ever heard of washing produce with a vinegar and water mixture?
I think that may kill bacteria, but I guess it wouldn't necessarily be as good as detergent for removing pesticides.
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June 13, 2008, 8:48 am
Flag as Inappropriate skatss says...
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I've also heard that all you need is warm water to wash your veggies off, but like you said, soap does manage to clean more things off and when you're trying to get off pesticides that are oil based, soap might be better.
I have run across a soap that is made to wash food, the name is Vermont Soap Organics Fruit & Veggie Wash. It's advertised that it makes food taste better, but it's safe to use on food and that's all that is important.
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June 13, 2008, 9:22 am
Flag as Inappropriate Jackie says...
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There are a lot of nutrients in the skins of many fruits and vegetables, though, so peeling them will lower the nutritive value. I've always heard that washing produce off will remove the pesticide residue.
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June 13, 2008, 11:52 am
Flag as Inappropriate skatss says...
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I guess that you decide which is more important to you and take your chances!
I might not peel potatoes or apples but I will wash and scrub them clean. I would peel most other vegetables, like carrots and cucumbers. Carrots are thought to absorb lots of things from the soil and the wax that put on cucumbers isn't something that I want to take into my body.
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June 13, 2008, 3:30 pm
Flag as Inappropriate Klara says...
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I grew up being told that the skins of foods like carrots and apples and pumpkins we good for you for more than one reason, but maybe that was before they started using all of those harmful pesticides.
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June 13, 2008, 11:28 pm
Flag as Inappropriate DanaS says...
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Thank you. I always wash and peel my produce, other than the more difficult things like grapes. There are special veg washes that I have seen too that are supposedly able to remove most of the residues.
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June 15, 2008, 4:12 am
Flag as Inappropriate Simplyme says...
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I too was raised being told that the vitamins were all in the peels and this is what I have passed onto my children. Is there some special wash that will allow you to keep the skin but rid any poisons there may be?
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