You remember how your mother had to force you and your siblings to eat vegetables? As kids, fruits and vegetables simply didn’t look edible. The smell, texture, look didn’t appeal to our young minds that sought more appealing food. But as we grew up, we came to love our vegetables because we knew how important they were. Vitamins, antioxidants, minerals that are found in vegetables we know keep us healthy and happy. So what you are about to read might shock you: some fruits and vegetables are actually harmful to our health!
According to a recent report published by the Environmental Working Group lists the following fruits and vegetables to be harmful to your health. The reason is not that they naturally contain any poisons but that they have been exposed to harmful pesticides that can cause cancers and other illnesses in humans. Here is the list with the most contaminated at the top.
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Celery
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Sweet bell peppers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumbers
The reason why strawberries are listed at the top is because 98% of samples tested found pesticide residue. While some of the residue was harmless, some were cancerous and could also cause reproductive or developmental damage.
Strawberries are very seasonal and limited crop which is why more pesticides are used to increase yield. The degree to which pesticides are used can be seen in the fact that each acre of land of Strawberries in California is treated with about 300 pounds of pesticides. The effect that pesticides have on children incudes a higher risk of developing ADHD
VIDEO: HOW TO REMOVE HARMFUL CHEMICALS FROM FRUITS
Although it would be impossible to remove them totally from ones diet, it is recommended that you wash them very well before consumption. Along with the list of contaminated fruits and vegetables is a list of fifteen fruits and vegetables that were found to have very little or no traces of pesticides in them.
- Sweet corn
- Cabbage
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Sweet Peas
- Asparagus
- Onions
- Papaya
- Mangoes
- Eggplant
- Kiwi
- Grapefruit
- Honeydew
- Cauliflower
- Cantaloupe
An easy way to try and minimize your intake of any food that has high levels of pesticides is to know where your fruit and vegetable comes from. Aside from that, one can also opt for organic options or make sure to wash all the fruits and vegetables very well before eating.
