Fruit Wash. Some fruits are toxic to our body due to the amount of pesticides that are used on them.  Here is a recipe for a fruit wash that will not only help reduce the pesticides but will prolong delicate fruits like strawberries, from going mouldy quicker.

Ingredients

1 cup white vinegar
4 cups water

Instructions

Step 1
Combine the vinegar and water in a large bowl.

Step 2
Add fruit or vegetables. Soak for 5 minutes.

Step 3
Scoop out and rinse under cold water in a colander.

Step 4
Spread out on a towel and allow to air dry.

Step 5
Store in the refrigerator.

When it comes to my all-time favourite strawberries, it is best to use a fruit wash, dry, cool and eat them as soon as possible as these fruits really are delicate and don’t do well being left.

It’s summer and that means lots of delicious stone fruit, berries and other gorgeous produce.   But, have you ever heard of the dirty dozen?  Sadly this term refers to the top 12 fruits and vegetables that, if eaten unwashed, are toxic to our body. It is recommended that eating organic, at least for these varieties, is a wise health move.

The 2018 Dirty Dozen:
  1. Strawberries
  2. Spinach
  3. Nectarines
  4. Apples
  5. Grapes
  6. Peaches
  7. Cherries
  8. Pears
  9. Tomatoes
  10. Celery
  11. Potatoes
  12. Sweet Bell Peppers (capsicum)

Avoiding these fruits and vegetables would be devastating news, so the take home advice is wash before eating.  Washing just in tap water is not enough though to remove the many pesticides that have been used during the cultivating stage of growth.

So if there is a dirty dozen there must be a clean version and thank goodness that list is longer.   The top fifteen listed below, when tested showed little or no traces of pesticides.

The Clean Fifteen:
  1. Avocados
  2. Sweet Corn
  3. Pineapples
  4. Cabbages
  5. Onions
  6. Sweet Peas Frozen
  7. Papayas
  8. Asparagus
  9. Eggplants
  10. Honeydew Melon
  11. Kiwis
  12. Rockmelon
  13. Cauliflower
  14. Broccoli

Be wise!  Eat smart and wash all fruit and vegetables before consumption.