10 most Pesticides Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables

The study, conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), based in Washington, United States, found levels of pesticides in fruits and vegetables washed and peeled as we eat at home. Then learn the 10 most contaminated fruits and vegetables in this study.

1. Apples The EWG found that a sample of 700 apples, 98% contained traces of pesticides and 92% at least two types of pesticides. After peaches, apples are part of the group treated fruits, with no fewer than 56 chemicals.

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2. Celery Of all the copies of celery that was studied, 90% contained

 multiple types of pesticides. The problem is that celery takes a long time to mature and therefore is exposed to toxic substances over a longer time than other vegetables. Why are toxic pesticides? As we have created to kill any living organism, plants, insects, etc. .- that attack crops, these substances constitute a danger to humans. A pesticides are accused of causing nervous system problems, cancer and hormonal disorders. So it is important to avoid to the maximum and, above all, avoid accumulating in the body.

3. Strawberries Strawberries were found in 13 types of pesticides. Yet, should we stop eating fruits and vegetables? No. Eating these foods is essential to stay healthy and prevent many diseases. The benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risk of exposure to pesticides. However, as the pocket allows, it is preferable to prioritize biological products.

4. Peaches 85.6% of peaches inspected contained traces of at least two types of pesticides. Peaches are part of a group that receives a fruit cocktail of 57 chemicals. With a thin skin, peaches absorb many more toxic substances than other fruits and vegetables. So, simply peel and wash fruit? No, because the study by the EWG conducted on fruits and vegetables washed. However, washing fruits and vegetables before eating them is better than peeling because the skin is the most vitamins and antioxidants in these foods.

5. Spinach Since spinach grow underground, they are more exposed to certain hazards such as insects, so that more pesticides are used to combat them. The appearance does not alter the taste: the more perfect and want them to be regular spinach leaves more we protect them from insects using pesticides. So it's best to forget about the aesthetic and consume less beautiful spinach but better health, which is valid for any fruit and vegetables.

6. Nectarines 90.8% of nectarines contained traces monitored at least two types of pesticides. If the indexes of these substances does not necessarily outweigh those established by the health authorities, the results raise the question of risk of the cocktail effect. How do pesticides in contact with each other? A study by a group of American researchers, published in 1996 in the journal Science, showed that the pesticide mixture had an effect between 150 and 1600 times greater than when they were measured in isolation.

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7. Grapes In a sample of grapes imported into the U.S. 14 pesticides were detected. The presence of residues in these examples is explained in part by the fineness of your skin, we do not usually eat and remove the pesticide misses. However, pesticide levels were found in locally grown grapes were lower (only 17.5% of the samples contained more than one pesticide residue). In 2008, five European environmental organizations studied 124 samples of grapes (each sample included about a kilo of these fruits), bought 16 supermarket chains in Italy, France, Holland, Hungary and Germany. The result was chilling: 99.2% of the grapes analyzed was contaminated, that is, 123 of the 124 samples collected. The only non-toxic sample was the one that gathered grapes purchased in a local Spanish German chain Lidl. The rest of the grapes contained on average about 0.65 mg / kg of pesticides.

8. Peppers During the analysis, the sample of peppers presented more than 13 types of chemicals. And during a test conducted in 2007 by the European Food Safety Authority, the peppers had emerged as the vegetables with the highest number of pesticides, 21 in total. Differences between the red peppers, greens and yellows, reds and yellows are less bitter than green. They are, in fact, more mature peppers greens. This means they have spent more time on the ground and have been exposed longer to pesticides. If you prefer to avoid eating peppers bio, at least choose the green.

9. Potatoes Like the rest of the vegetables that grow underground, the potatoes are exposed to pesticides m

ore than other vegetables. In fact, his skin is so thin that lets many pesticides and fungicides. The EWG found that 91.4% of potatoes tested contained traces of pesticides. Any alternative? Eat sweet potatoes, since, according to the EWG study, only 6% of them contained chemical residues.

10. Blueberries Being surrounded by a permeable and fragile skin, the flesh of blueberries receives many pesticides. What about frozen blueberries? While it is easy to find in the freezers of many supermarkets, the reality is that it is best to avoid: freezing preserved pesticides.