Are you aware that every year there is a list of clean and dirty fresh produce?
It’s the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen list. The list is determined by the level of harmful pesticides that leaves a residue after spraying.
Be aware that this list is not the same for every country. Each agriculture industry has its own specific farming guidelines. This includes spraying of pesticides as well as soil fertilization and nourishment.
Pesticides are a well known contributing factor towards allergies, skin issues, inflammation and other more concerning ailments.
The list hails from the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration in the USA. However, it gives a good guideline to assist in making healthy choices. Generally, produce that is soft skin, such as strawberries, will have a high level of pesticide if sprayed with harmful chemicals. Whereas produce that has a thick skin like an avocado, will have a much lower level of pesticide because of its thicker skin.
This alone can be reason enough to choose organic produce. Becoming a certified organic farmer is a very lengthy and expensive process, and so many farmers honour the practice of organic methods without being certified. It’s worthwhile to know where your produce is coming from and how it is being nurtured so that you can make the best choice, and the right choice for you.
Alternatively, using a vegetable wash can be helpful to remove some pesticides. White vinegar is great solution to let your fruit and veg have a quick soak and scrub if need be.
Whatever you choose; Choose wisely. Live vibrantly.
Photo by Inigo De La Maza on Unsplash
