How to wash away pesticides from vegetables: Simple trick
Is it possible to wash pesticides from vegetables (photo: Freepik)
Everyone knows from childhood that fruits and vegetables should always be thoroughly washed before consumption. As it turns out, baking soda also helps to fight against pesticides, states the Sen.acs website.
Are pesticides a threat?
Research from Massachusetts University has shown that soaking products in a baking soda solution effectively removes pesticides.
Pesticides are actively used in large and small agricultural productions. The main goal is to increase yields and combat plant pests and diseases.
If agrochemicals accumulate in food products, they can cause poisoning.
Can you wash chemical substances from vegetables?
Research from Massachusetts University has shown that washing products in a baking soda solution really helps.
In particular, just a 15-minute soak in a 1% baking soda solution completely removes two common pesticides from the skin of apples.
However, after that, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the fruits under water.
Scientists used special cards to detect pesticides in the product.
These cards are used as follows: they are dipped in the solution in which the fruits are soaked and then pressed against another card. If the second card remains white, this is the main sign of a high concentration of pesticide residues.
It is quite difficult for consumers to detect toxic substances in the fruits and vegetables they buy at markets or in the supermarket. They usually have no taste or smell, and cannot be seen on the surface of the products.
Therefore, many people just wash them under running water.
Vinegar cleansing
You can also clean vegetables and fruits with vinegar.
Experts soaked grapes for 15 minutes in a baking soda solution: 2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water.
In the second method, the grapes were sprayed with a vinegar solution, where water and vinegar were in a ratio of 3:1, and left for 15 minutes.
The test cards treated with the soda solution turned blue, indicating the effectiveness of pesticide removal.
Baking soda solution removes only some classes of pesticides and only from the surface of the product. Those used to treat the roots of plants are not washed away.
Earlier, we reported about 5 fruits that should never be eaten before sleep.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
