Why You Should Wash Your Fruits & Veggies

Whether you’re purchasing your produce from a farmers market, or the grocery store, it’s important to wash them before consumption. The FDA recommends washing with cold water – but it’s been proved that it’s not enough to wash away pesticides, especially from conventional (non-organic) produce.

According to the EWG - the highest amount of pesticide residue have been found on: Strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, celery, grapes, pears, cherries, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and potatoes.  

On the other side, the cleanest produce you can find least likely to contain pesticide residue are: Avocados and sweet corn, pineapples, papayas, asparagus, onions, cabbage, mangoes, eggplant, and kiwi

If you cannot afford to buy organic, opt into cooking them first if possible, typically pesticide levels diminish when food is cooked.

A quick and effective way to clean your fruits and veggies without purchasing a fancy-smancy veggie cleaner is quite simple:

• Create a clean wash basin – (I use a big stock pot or bowl for this)

• Create a 90% water and a 10% White vinegar concoction

  • I typically use 3 cups water and 1 cup distilled white vinegar

• Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (lemon juice isn’t necessary if you don’t have it on hand)

• Let sit for 10-20 minutes

• Rinse

• If vinegar smell lingers – add a bit of lemon juice as this will help eliminate the smell

This mixture is safe to use on all fruits and veggies – even leafy greens. What’s awesome about this recipe, is that it can be created and used in a spray bottle. Just mix, shake well, and apply to produce and scrub away using a veggie brush or designated sponge just for veggies. Rinse with water before cooking or serving.

This mixture is reported by Cook’s Illustrated to kill 98 percent of bacteria on food. This is superb for leafy greens because greens have a higher potential to hold bacteria such as E. Coli bacteria. According to a study in Journal of Food Protection, adding a tablespoon or two of salt to this mixture increases vinegar's ability to kill E. coli bacteria when salt is added to the mix.

Some of our favorite Fruit & Veggie Tools:

• Reusable Veggie Bags - one of our top sellers! Reduce plastic produce bag waste - shop and store right in these - drawstring closure, AND machine washable
• Veggie Scrub Brush - Scrub away pesticides, dirt, and debris - made with 100% bamboo and palm tree bristles 
• Paring Knife - Plastic & BPA Free paring knife perfect for slicing apples!

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