I cannot stress this enough - WASH YOUR PRODUCE!
I know it takes a few minutes you probably do not think you have, but it is SO important.
Whether you buy organic or non-organic (conventional) produce, you definitely want to rinse it. This is extremely important if buying non-organic produce, as most have pesticide and fertilizer residues remaining on them.
Organic fruits and vegetables may not be grown with pesticides, but they’re still susceptible to “pesticide drift”. Drift occurs when wind blows chemicals from a nearby conventional produce field into the organic field. Can’t stop Mother Nature!
Chemical cross contamination can also happen during packaging, since many produce companies use the same warehouses to package both organic and non-organic produce.
The biggest reason to wash your fruits and vegetables...germs. Washing helps to remove bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria from the surface of fruit and vegetables. Most of the bacteria will be in the soil attached to the produce, so removing soil is especially important.
Here is a Fruit and Veggie Rinse you can DIY at home!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 cup of Water
10 drops of food grade Lemon Essential Oil
After gathering all of your ingredients, you are going to combine them in a 16 oz glass* spray bottle. Don't forget to shake it very well!, then liberally spray your produce and let sit for 10-15 minutes. After the time is up, rinse and enjoy!
If you run out of Lemon Essential Oil you can purchase some here or you can use a 1/4 cup of organic lemon juice.
*It is important that you use a glass bottle because vinegar and essential oils can corrode plastic.
Not everyone is the DIY type, so if you are looking for a pre-mixed wash, I highly recommend checking out Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak.
