Food Tips > How to Choose Vegetables and Fruits
How to Choose Vegetables and Fruits
By The Editorial Team
Frequent reports of excessive pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits have caused much anxiety with Malaysian consumers. Many people worry that over time, these toxins may be the cause of cancers in our body. However, according to a the American Institute for Cancer Research (1999 Press Release) no experimental study has positively linked pesticide residue to increased cancer risk in humans.
In any case, it is good practice to minimise the risk of a prolonged intake of vegetables and fruits with high levels of pesticide residues. Here's some tips provided by the Malaysian Department of Public Health to minimise such risks:
- Avoid getting your fruits and vegetables from the same supplier all the time. By varying the source of the vegetables and fruits, you minimise the risk of accumulating the same type of pesticide residue over a period of time.
- Plant your own vegetables and fruits. This will save you costs and ensure the vegetables and fruits you consume are pesticide free.
- Choose your vegetables and fruits carefully. If they have indications of worms and insects, chances are there's little, if any, pesticide present in the vegetable or fruit. However, it is also possible that the worms and insects have built up a natural resistance to the pesticide!
- Clean your vegetables and fruits carefully. This will reduce the pesticide that may be found on the surface of the vegetable and fruit. However washing will not help in reducing pesticide that has been absorbed.
- Get organically grown vegetables and fruits. Although such vegetables and fruits are more expensive, they are usually pesticide free. Alternatively, you may consider hydroponic vegetables and fruits which usually are grown indoors or within a netted enclosure. Under such environment, the use of pesticides is reduced.
Although consumers should rightly be concerned about pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits, it is also important to place pesticide risk in perspective. Consumers should not avoid eating vegetables and fruits just because of concerns of pesticide levels. There is already evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables protects against cancers of the colon, rectum, stomach, lung, mouth, pharynx and esophagus. In fact the benefits of having a high diet of vegetables and fruits clearly outweighs the risk of cancer caused by pesticide residues.
Here's some tips preparation to maximise the nutrients available in vegetables and fruits:
- Cut vegetables and fruits only after washing
- Avoid cutting vegetables and fruits in small chunks as this will increase the surface area which speeds up the oxidation process of the vitamin C
- Avoid soaking vegetables and fruits that has been cut as this will reduce the level of vitamin C
- Fruits which require peeling should only be peeled just before consumption. Otherwise the vitamin C in the exposed fruit will be easily oxidised
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