Produce Wash: How To
Pesticides are used in agriculture to control pests, weeds, bacteria and diseases. However, pesticide exposure is harmful to the human body and is suggested to pose many health risks.
Research suggests baking soda is one of the best and least expensive options when washing produce of pesticides.
All you need is baking soda and water. Place your desired produce in the kitchen sink and plug the drain (this can also be done in a large bowl). Fill the sink with water, until the items are completely submerged. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and stir the water well. For the best results, let the produce sit for 10-15 minutes. However, this is not always realistic. In which case, soak the produce in the baking soda mixture for 2 minutes. When finished soaking, wash the produce with fresh water and pat dry! Voila!
So which produce items should I be aware of?
Every year, the EWG comes out with the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen.
The Dirty Dozen lists 12 produce items that are filled with the most pesticides and rank them from 1 to 12. These 12 items are the most important items to buy organically, if able to. However, a homemade produce wash (such as the one above) will help to rid non-organic produce items of pesticides.
The 2020 Dirty Dozen include:
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes
On the other hand, the Clean Fifteen, lists 15 produce items that are least filled with pesticides, ranked from 1 to 15.
The 2020 Clean Fifteen include:
1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet Peas, Frozen
7. Eggplant
8. Asparagus
9. Cauliflower
10. Cantaloupe
11. Broccoli
12. Mushrooms
13. Cabbage
14. Honeydew Melon
15. Kiwi
For more information, check out www.ewg.org/.