Remember being a kid and wondering why your mom always washed your apple? Or maybe she didn’t, but other people did, and you wondered why. Then you grew up and heard about pesticides, waxed produce, and bacteria on the surface of your favorite fruits and veggies.
Maybe you should wash your produce? Or should you just wash the store-bought products? Is organic produce safer to eat unwashed?
Sometimes, being an adult can be complicated. Let us make washing produce simple for you.
Store-bought vs homegrown produce
Should you wash all fruits and vegetables? The short answer is yes.
Store-bought products need to be washed for a variety of reasons, including:
- Fertilizer and pesticides
- Wax
- Bacteria
- Dirt and debris
Commercial farming uses a lot of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and your fruits and vegetables can have chemical residue lingering on the skin, this is why washing them before you dig in is so important!
Many fruits and vegetables are coated with edible wax before being sent to stores. This prevents moisture loss, slows the product’s decay, protects it from damage during shipping and handling, and improves its appearance. But have you ever bitten into an apple and grimaced because the peel was bitter and waxy? Washing will improve your produce’s flavor by removing that nasty wax!
Store-bought produce may still have dirt and grime clinging to the surface, as well as bacteria from the farm, and the shipping, handling, and stocking process the fruit and vegetables have gone through. From bug poop in the field to someone sneezing in the grocery store, you need to wash those bacteria off!
Homegrown produce you grew or purchased at a farmer’s market may have fewer chemicals, but it still needs to be washed.
Historically, many cultures have washed their fruits and vegetables even before chemicals were a regular part of farming. As hygiene became a greater priority in the Middle Ages to stop the spread of deadly illnesses, people began to clean their produce using boiling water, vinegar, or salt as a natural cleaning solution. By the Industrial Revolution, special brushes and cleaning tools designed just for produce were being sold. Chemical cleaning solutions were developed in the 20th century, and in recent years, society has turned its attention towards organic cleaning solutions for our produce.
Home-grown produce needs to be washed to remove:
- Dirt and debris
- Bug waste
- Bacteria
Washing homegrown and store-bought produce also enhances the flavor and appearance. A few extra minutes can save you a nasty bite of dirt, bug carcasses (not that we speak from experience or anything), or bacteria from the soil. Hosts who wash their produce before serving guests are also more likely to have the dinner invitation reciprocated!
Healthy washing options
So, you’ve decided to wash your fruits and veggies but would prefer to use a natural washing method. Here are a few options to add to your list of eating and gardening ideas.
- Baking soda solution. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a bowl of water, soak your produce for several minutes and then rinse.
- Vinegar solution. Mix one part vinegar to three parts water, soak for several minutes and rinse.
- Lemon oil solution. Combine water, a few drops of organic lemon essential oil, and a tablespoon of Castile soap into a spray bottle. Spray your produce down, let it sit for several minutes, and rinse.
Get out into the garden
Life is complicated, but nature can be healing. Have you thought about getting out into the garden and growing your own produce? Many people are discovering that gardening is fun and helps them maintain balance in all other parts of life. Why not grow your own produce and watch the process from seed to sink where you can wash the vegetables and fruits you grew yourself!