Contents
A smooth-skinned tomato, a pear untouched by a worm, fresh strawberries, not only in summer, but all year round, are the blessings of civilization. But with them, substances also get into our plate, thanks to which the gifts of nature were able to grow and reach us without loss, that is, pesticides.
Today, almost all vegetables and fruits that we buy are grown with their participation. Pesticides have become indispensable for large farms in the battle against pests: insects (insecticides), fungi (fungicides) and weeds (herbicides). For fruits and vegetables, these chemicals help them grow intact, preserve their beauty, and ripen on time. But how to avoid their impact on our body?
Back in the mid-1980s, scientists started talking about the harm that pesticides used in agriculture cause to the cardiovascular system*. Today, many studies have proven the relationship between the use of pesticides and allergies, dysbacteriosis, the appearance of neoplasms, diseases of the blood and the endocrine system. These chemicals pose the greatest danger to children – on average, they eat more vegetables and fruits than adults, and their liver is not yet able to effectively cope with harmful substances. How can you protect yourself from them?
Choose organic products
The most logical, although not the easiest solution is to grow the crop yourself or find producers whose methods are environmentally friendly. “Personally, I try to buy fresh vegetables and herbs only from our market, from sellers I know,” says 39-year-old Polina. – Of course, for this you need to be interested, communicate with people, keep in touch, but on a human level, it’s just nice for me. And today I know where, by whom and how this or that product that I buy is grown. For local grandmothers who sell in the market, I sometimes even bring some unusual seeds from my trips – lettuce, zucchini or beans. And it works! In the end, after all, demand forms supply: until recently, no one heard about arugula in our gardens near Moscow, and today the pensioners I know plant it and successfully sell it – to me and people like me, who care about what turns out to be in their plate. And most importantly, I am sure that there will be no chemistry in the harvest!”
Pesticides tend to build up in our body tissues, but studies show that switching to organic foods significantly reduces the residual traces of these chemicals in our bodies in as little as a month**.
Inside and outside
Of course, with reservations, but this pattern is worth remembering: pesticides accumulate more in fruits than in vegetables and root crops, with the exception of potatoes.
In terms of pesticide content, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, grapes, cucumbers and zucchini are at greater risk. Much less likely to find these substances in bananas, citrus fruits, plums, kiwi, cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, eggplant and avocados. “Chemicals can get into vegetables and fruits not only at the growing stage, but also later,” adds Lidia Ionova, nutritionist, founder of the Doctor Ionova Clinics network. – For example, in the USA, France and other countries, apples are covered with a thin layer of wax with the addition of fungicides (to protect against fungus) before storage. Foreign producers also dip citrus fruits in a 0,5-2% diphenyl solution, which can cause allergic reactions. We cannot determine this on our own: after two or three days, it is almost impossible to catch the smell of biphenyl. You can reduce the level of pesticide traces in vegetables and fruits by simply washing: for example, when storing unwashed tomatoes for three to six days, 30% of the botran pesticide is destroyed, and 93% in washed ones.
Wash and clean
Of course, we do not always have the opportunity to get acquainted with the production methods of the supplier. In this case, one should not forget to thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits or even peel them: after all, the main amount of harmful substances settles on the surface of the fruit and accumulates in the skin.
Research conducted by the International Center for Agronomic Research (CIRAD) in 2002 in Vietnam showed that rinsing and soaking fruits rid them of 30–50% of pesticides, while salt and vinegar only help to neutralize bacteria. It does not make sense to soak for a long time, otherwise vitamins will also leave along with harmful substances: two minutes in water (you can add a pinch of soda) will be enough. It is better to remove all the upper leaves from cabbage and lettuce: they have been in contact with the external environment for the longest time. And the peel of “unfamiliar” fruits and vegetables should be peeled, despite the fact that along with it you will have to part with part of the vitamins.
Remember the season
It is unlikely that anyone will argue with the fact that winter tomatoes, cucumbers or strawberries in their taste cannot be compared with those that ripen in season. In addition, fresh fruits – as they say, fresh from a tree or garden bed – are usually treated with fewer chemicals than those that are laid for long-term storage or grown in greenhouses using hydroponics, and hit our shelves in the winter. It is clear that the latter are produced only industrially and are designed for long-distance transportation and long-term storage. Therefore, the most logical choice for us, if we care about our health, is to eat local seasonal vegetables and fruits whenever possible. Besides, now is the time for them!
Russian or imported?
“In Russia, the content of pesticides in food products is regulated by regulations, which indicate the maximum permissible levels of residual content of 400 active chemical compounds,” explains Larisa Grushevskaya, head of the department of the Rosselkhoznadzor for Moscow and the Moscow Region. The farmer is obliged to report what pesticides he used and in what doses, as well as the date of the last treatment. According to the law, only in this case can he receive a sanitary certificate, without which it is impossible to sell vegetables and fruits, or import them into Russia. “Today, our country has a strict approach to the safety of food products of plant origin,” says Larisa Grushevskaya. “The standards of some foreign countries are more loyal.” Thus, according to the department, in 2009, only in the capital region, 6% of imported vegetables and fruits were found to exceed the maximum allowable level of pesticides and nitrates. Which, however, is much lower than in previous years, since memorandums were concluded with many countries, according to which importers must accompany their products with a laboratory report, as well as information about the preparations used to treat plants from the moment of planting to harvest. It remains for us to believe both them and the regulatory authorities at their word.
* D. Schwartz, L. Newsum, R. Heifetz «Parental occupation and birth outcome in an agricultural community». Scand J Work Environ Health, 1986, vol. 12.
** Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006, February.