The healthy fruits and vegetables that you eat can actually be loaded with harmful pesticides.
A recent study found that some produce had traces of more than 60 pesticides on them.
Farmers use pesticides to prolong the lives of their crops. The pesticides enable foods to travel long distances and protect them from natural predators and pests. However, they can also cause major harm to your body when you consume them. Eating foods that contain large doses of pesticides can negatively affect your nervous system, heart, and lungs.
Disinfecting Produce Spray:
1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 of a lemon
Combine all ingredients in a large container. Transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce and let sit for 5 minutes. Scrub and rinse.
Fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticides:
Strawberries. 59 pesticides have been detected in the residue on certain strawberries. Soak strawberries for about 2 minutes in water before rinsing to help loosen the dirt and chemicals.
Apples. 42 different pesticides have been found within the residue on apples. Growers also apply food wax to make the apples shiny which helps them survive long shipping distances. Avoid apples that look too shiny or smell waxy instead of fresh.
Spinach. 48 different pesticides have been found on spinach. When pesticides are sprayed on ground vegetables, the pesticides can seep into topsoil, causing more exposure to the plants.
A safer and more economical option is to buy frozen spinach. Not only is it cheaper, but the washing and blanching it undergoes before freezing can remove as much as 90% of the pesticide residue.
Peaches. 62 pesticides have been revealed on peaches. Their fuzzy, delicate skin, absorbs pesticides like a sponge. A quick rinse is not enough to clean a peach.
Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.
