Chronic exposure to pesticides -- from eating fruits and vegetables without washing them -- can result in everything from dizziness and headaches to cancer and obesity. Buying organic will help reduce your exposure, but even organic produce can harbor salmonella and E. colo, as well as trace levels of pesticides, so it is critical that you clean all fruits and vegetables prior to eating them. If you're in a rush, rinsing them for 20 seconds under cold tap water will get rid of most dirt and pesticides, and do a decent job with bacteria. (Whatever you do don't "clean" an apple, or any other fruit, by rubbing it on your shirt. All that does is move the pesticides and bacteria around). The best option, however, is to make your own produce wash.
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (a natural disinfectant)
2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar (neutralizes most pesticides)
1 cup of cold tap water
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle, shake well, and apply to your produce. Rinse with tap water and serve.
This blog appears courtesy of The New American Diet
by Stephen Perrine with Heather Hurlock