Eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day, why not!
But if it's to swallow pesticides every day, no thanks!
Générations Futures, an ecological association, has compiled a list of fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticide residues...
...as well as those that contain the least.
Very handy for knowing which fruits and vegetables to choose when shopping.
Here is the guide of fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticides and those that contain the least . Watch:
In the top of the fruits that contain the most pesticide residues, we find in order from the most contaminated to the least contaminated:
- grape
- tangerines
- cherries
- clementines
- grapefruit
- grapefruit
- nectarines
- strawberries
- oranges
- apricots
If you want to eat fruits that contain less pesticides, better buy:
- Mirabelle plums
- kiwi fruit
- lawyers
- raspberries
- bananas
- pineapple
- limes
- plums
It is true that it is the favorite fruit of the French!
Well, you should know that traces of pesticides were found in 79% of the samples analyzed.
According to Générations Futures, more than 36 chemical treatments were applied on average to apple orchards in 2015.
Not really reassuring, is it?
To discover: French Apples Are Well Poisoned With Pesticides:Justice Proves Greenpeace Right.
Here are the vegetables with the most pesticides:
- celery stalk
- celeriac
- lettuces
- fresh herbs
- chicory
- lettuces
- potatoes
- melons
- beans
- carrots
- leeks
- tomatoes
- cucumbers
On the other hand, the situation is less catastrophic for the following vegetables:
- sweet corn
- asparagus
- yams
- beets
- cauliflower
- sweet potatoes
- pumpkins
- headed cabbage
- broccoli
- garlic
- onions
- turnips
- watermelon
- spinach
- mushrooms
- eggplant
- radish.
Find the full report by Générations Futures here.
François Veillerette, president of Générations Futures, believes that it is not "normal to find so many pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables".
He wants growers to do much better by using fewer pesticides in their crops.
According to him, the results of this ranking show that "the previous plan was a failure and that successive governments and the profession did not have the will to stick to this project."
The president of Générations Futures also encourages consumers to buy fruit and vegetables produced in France.
Why ? Because in France, producers do not have the right to carry out post-harvest treatments. Which is not necessarily the case abroad...
He also estimates that less than 1% of fruit and vegetables produced in France exceed the maximum residue limits, while around 3% of imported products would exceed these limits.
In France, the use of 309 chemical products is authorized to eliminate or repel insects, worms, bacteria and fungi.
The problem is that mixtures of pesticides could also have health consequences that are difficult to assess today.
This is why the issue of mixtures and low doses of pesticides is so important today, explains the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm).
This organization is currently conducting a study to find out the impact of these chemical mixtures on the health and development of children.
Another study is currently underway to assess the carcinogenic effects in adults.
Fortunately, there are tips for eating vegetables and fruits without pesticides:
1. The first reflex is to thoroughly clean your fruits and vegetables using this trick. The goal is to remove as much pesticide residue as possible from the skins of fruits and vegetables.
2. Then, it is better to eat organic fruits and vegetables. And to avoid blowing your food budget, here are 7 tips for eating cheap organic food. And the good news is that when you eat organic, the health effects are quickly felt as you can see here.
3. Another solution is to regrow organic vegetables at home. Do you know that it's easy to regrow some vegetables from leftovers? So you only buy them once, regrow them, eat healthy and save money. CQFD! Here are 11 vegetables you should only buy once in your life.
4. You can also start a vegetable garden at home by following this guide to growing vegetables in the ground or in pots. You'll see, it's not that complicated! And if you don't have a garden, you can also grow vegetables in pots. We explain how to do it here.
And finally, if you intend to make your vegetable garden, here are 23 market gardening tips to make your first vegetable garden a success as well as 7 mistakes to avoid to make your vegetable patch a success from the 1st time.
I also recommend this book:The practical guide to making a square vegetable garden. It is very useful for learning how to prepare, plan and grow your crops, even if you have little space.
And you, what are your solutions to avoid eating fruits and vegetables contaminated by pesticides? Share them with us in the comments. We can't wait to read you!
