TIPS TO CLEAN FRUITS & VEGGIES
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and includes the opinion of the author. Information is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness or disease. It is simply information found through experience and/or research. Always follow the directives of a licensed health professional. Neither Anita Bastian nor the publisher of the information takes any responsibility for actions readers take in regards to how they use or perceive the information. Readers are encouraged to do their own research.
Do we really need to wash the fruits and veggies we buy before we eat them? The fruits and vegetables we purchase at the grocery store or market likely have some residue of pesticides, bacteria, and other debris on them. I personally do wash all the fruits and veggies I purchase, even organic produce. Organic produce could also have bacteria, dirt particles, and pesticides that are approved for use on organic produce hitchhiking on it.
It's important to remember that there is no way to completely remove all pesticides, herbicides, and potentially harmful residues from your produce. But it is still a good idea to decrease your exposure as much as you can. Interestingly, I discovered a source that found that using distilled water alone to wash fruits and veggies cleaned them just as well as the homemade or commercial substances also used to wash produce. (See link below.)
Here are a few ideas, some of which I found on the Consumer Reports and Food Network.
1. Do not wash your produce until you are ready to eat or serve it.
2. Soak your produce in baking soda and water for a few minutes, then rinse with clean water. Use approximately 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2 cups of water for the soaking solution.
3. Soak your produce in vinegar water for a few minutes, then rinse with clean water. Use approximately one-half cup vinegar and 2 cups water for the solution.
Making a solution to wash produce each time before you use fruits and veggies is not always practical. There are some commercially produced solutions you can check out. I do not have any I recommend, but they may be better than doing nothing. One other side note: I would not use bleach, as some recipes indicate. I think vinegar is a great natural way to reduce pesticides and bacteria.
When I get organic strawberries, I will often make a vinegar and water solution to soak them in for at least 15-30 minutes. Then I rinse them with clean water. They seem to stay fresh longer this way.
Other Simple Homemade Recipes to Clean Produce:
Water, baking soda, and lemon juice
CONSUMER ALERT – A coating that you may not be able to wash off!
While doing some research, I discovered something new that we need to be on the lookout for. There is a coating now in the works and potentially already being applied to some fruits and vegetables that supposedly keeps them fresher and looking good longer, thereby cutting down on waste. Sounds lovely, right? Maybe, maybe not. The coating is called Edipeel. The Gates Foundation has partnered with a company called Apeel Sciences to create this coating. They have applied for clearance as a GRAS (generally regarded as safe) product. Edipeel may even be applied to organic produce. There is evidence that is already being applied on some organic apples. One disturbing note about this coating is that we may not be able to wash it off. See list of other ingredients here on page 9 of the documents filed with the FDA. (I see a little lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium in the mix, all of which are really not safe for human consumption in any amount.)
There may be a label with the letters Apeel or aPEEL on the products. But I am not certain the labeling will be required.
Food additives such as E471, which are mono- and diglycerides from fatty acids, serve as an emulsifier and stabilizer, adding to the shelf life of products. E471 has been used in our food industry for several years. Until recently it was regarded as safe. But as with many synthetic ingredients, their true effect may not be seen for years after their use. Two of the main ingredients are 2,3-dihydroxypropyl palmitate (PA-1G) and 1,3 dihydroxypropan-2-yl palmitate (PA-2G). There is now evidence to suggest that these ingredients, once regarded as safe, may be linked to metabolic issues, build-up of fatty deposits, and impairment of liver and kidney function.
This is even more reason to buy local, know your producers, or grow your own produce.
Stay tuned and read more here.
Additional information about one of the ingredients in the coating may be found in this article on foodadditives.net and here at foodandrecipes.com.
If you are looking for the 2023 list of the produce that the Environmental Working Group found to be the dirtiest as far as toxins like pesticides and herbicides, click here. The Dirty Dozen, The Clean 15, and those that tested in between are listed as well.
We’d like to think that our food and water supply is safe, but we can see otherwise. I’m so thankful for products and techniques that support the body’s innate detoxification system to remove harmful toxins, like pesticides, herbicides, toxic metals, and bacteria, that we may be ingesting with our food and water. Remain vigilant, informed, and empowered. If you are ready to do something to support your body’s natural detoxification system, but you don’t know what to do, no worries. Reach out. Request a discovery call today.
If you have been considering getting a simple water distiller for your home, connect with me. I’ll share what I use and recommend. When my husband did the math, he said our little countertop distiller paid for itself within three months! I say having something like this to remove toxins from our drinking water is priceless!
Blessings on your journey to greater wellness,
--Anita