We all know that our store-bought vegetables and fruits are loaded with pesticides unless you eat organic, pesticide-free foods. But going organic is not that easy and many people still rely on their local grocer to buy vegetables and fruits. But if you are too concerned about the pesticide load, one way to minimise it is by washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and in the right manner. Yes, this means washing them under water for some time till it gets rid of all the residual pesticides. But wait, if washing them under running water was enough, there wouldn’t have been so many cases of intestinal and respiratory problems caused by residual pesticides.
So, to make sure that your fruits and vegetables are pesticides free, clean them with this natural washer – baking soda. These days, you also get a vegetable and fruit cleaner in the market but we suggest before investing in something synthetic try the natural way. Now, we are not saying this without any scientific basis, there are studies which say that soaking fruits and vegetables in a solution of baking soda and water helps to remove pesticides from them without peeling the skin of the fruits and vegetables.
A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry this year tried to investigate the effectiveness of commercial and homemade washing agents in the removal of surface and internalised pesticide residues from apples. The study concluded that surface pesticide residues were most effectively removed by sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, NaHCO3) solution when compared to either tap water or Clorox bleach. Using a 10 mg/mL baking soda washing solution, it took 12 and 15 min to completely remove thiabendazole or phosmet surface residues (pesticides used in agriculture and farming), respectively, following a 24 h exposure to these pesticides. However, some amount of these pesticides had already penetrated through the skin of the fruit and vegetable.
This study also pointed that baking soda washing method is more effective in removing surface pesticide residues on apples and other vegetables. Due to the actions of baking soda, the pesticides degrade quickly which helps in removing the residue by just washing them with hands. However, baking soda is not completely effective in removing residues that have penetrated into the apple peels. Peeling is more effective to remove the penetrated pesticides; however, bioactive compounds in the peels will become lost too. Here are some more uses of baking soda.
While the study was done on apples the technique can be used on all vegetables and fruits that can be consumed with their skin for greater benefits. Try mixing a spoon of baking soda in a tub and soaking your vegetables for at least 10 to 15 minutes to get rid of the pesticides before you eat or cook them.
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