We all know that plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in our diet is healthy for us long term as the nutrients and vitamins they provide are essential for our bodies and we tend to feel better when eating such a diet as well. However, not all fruit and vegetables are the same, with pressure to produce volumes, many non-organic farmers use pesticides of all kinds to keep their crops healthy and kill off potential threats such as weeds or insects. The problem here is that plants naturally absorb such chemicals they are exposed to as they grow, and even after washing they remain within the skins of crops themselves. That means that when you are using those fresh fruits and vegetables, even after washing, the skins can contain traces of such pesticides, which is definitely something to be concerned about.

Yes, concerned is the right word, for some crops are so heavily sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals that workers have to wear full Hazmat suits just to safely access the crop fields (Foodrogue.com, 2015). When you think about it, that is truly shocking, because that is our food. Children will be eating that down the line, and I don’t care how good those fruit and vegetables are washed and cleaned, I still wouldn’t trust them after that. No one should.

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There is, thankfully, a way to avoid this, organically certified crops are free of such chemicals (Wikipedia, 2016), making them a much more suitable source of fresh fruits and vegetables for anyone’s diet, although this is especially true for children who are particularly at risk from the chemicals found in pesticides. Indeed, research has shown that developing children exposed to high levels of pesticides through their diet can have a higher chance of neurological issues, such as memory or concentration problems (Boyle, 2016).

As children tend to eat more food relative to their own bodyweight than adults, and have less developed systems for processing chemicals, it is an important choice to try and keep them away from chemically laden items wherever possible. The challenge then, is to ensure that you buy pesticide free fruit and vegetables, and avoid those that have a high chance of pesticide traces, but quality is also important, so fresh, high quality fruit and vegetables free of pesticides is what should be on the shopping list. The question is, how do you find that?

Firstly, it is important to understand that there are some fruits and vegetables more prone to contamination than others, this is affected by the crop’s vulnerability to insect or weed damage, hardiness and even the weather during the harvest season, but luckily the U.S. Department of Agriculture regularly tests produce for such things and there are numerous compiled reports based on that data to help us (ewg.org, 2016). Knowing which kinds of fruits and vegetables are more at risk helps us be vigilant when we need to be, an important part of avoiding pesticide contaminants in our diets.

It is not always possible to simply stick to organic produce, which is why the lists of foods most at risk or safest are so useful for us all, however, it is a really good idea to buy organic wherever possible. Grown without using external chemicals like pesticides, organic foods are a better prospect when you are looking at the food you eat, and the good news is that there is an easy way to spot genuine, certified organic produce. You may not have paid much attention to the standard PLU stickers on your fruit or veg, probably thinking it is just a way to let the cashier know the price.

However, they are far more useful than that, and are a very quick, clear and accurate way to spot just what kind of fruit or veg you are looking at. Each PLR sticker has a code on it, with either 4 or 5 digits in it. A 4-digit code, starting with the number 4 means that it is a conventionally grown item that will have utilized various chemicals, in particular pesticides, during its production. A 5-digit code that starts with the number 9 though, that signifies that this product is a certified organically produced one, with no chemicals and grown entirely naturally (Foodrogue.com, 2015). This makes it really easy when in a store to find the right kind of fruit and vegetable products that are the safest for you to eat.

Of course, it is not always possible to source organic grown produce, either it is simply not stocked or cost issues can be a problem, however there are still things you can do to avoid the worst of the pesticide problems (Consumer Reports, 2015). The lists of good and bad conventionally grown produce can really make a difference here, and you can pick out the conventionally grown items that are least prone to absorbing the chemicals and government tests have shown to be free of pesticide contamination. Avocados and pineapples for instance are fine to each from conventionally produced farms (Boyle, 2016), and show no signs of contaminate at all. Strawberries or Apples however are best avoided if you cannot find organic, as they are seen as the most prone to contamination.

It is also important to note that while washing fruit and vegetables before eating is essential, it does not remove this kind of contamination and so is no substitute for being careful with what you buy. The government itself tests for such contamination after washing, and with things like bananas, after peeling them too, in essence, they test food as we would eat it for a most accurate result possible.

It is important to remember that you can avoid the issues of pesticides whilst still enjoying plenty of safe fruit and vegetables in your diet, they are essential for your health and should not be ignored because of these issues. Instead, focus on getting quality, safe fruit and vegetables, and enjoy the benefits of the food, which will taste better without the contamination, and stay safe and healthy all at the same time. Finding the right fruit and veg does not take up too much time or effort, so do not be put off, enjoy your healthy diet and avoid the pesticides.

References

• Boyle, M. (2016, May 19). 5 Facts You Should Know About Pesticides on Fruits and Vegetables. Retrieved from Ecowatch.com: https://ecowatch.com/2016/05/19/pesticides-fruits-vegetables/
• Consumer Reports. (2015). Eat the Peach, not the Pesticide. Retrieved from Consumer Reports: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health/natural-health/pesticides/index.htm
• ewg.org. (2016). 2016 Shoppers guide to Pesticides in produce. Retrieved from https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
• Foodrogue.com. (2015, June 21). TAFI – 2015 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produc. Retrieved from http://foodrogue.com/tafi-decode-produce
• Wikipedia. (2016). Organic Food. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food
• WebMD. (2016).Low Testosterone and Sex Drive http://www.webmd.com/men/how-low-testosterone-can-affect-your-sex-drive
• Peak Testosterone. (2016). Testosterone and Pesticides http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Testosterone_Pesticides.aspx