10 foodstuffs most contaminated with pesticides

Many times when we leave the markets with a bag full of fruits and vegetables, we believe that we are ensuring a super healthy diet and free of substances that can harm our health. But unfortunately the reality is not that beautiful.

According to the National Cancer Institute (INCA), Brazil is the largest user of pesticides in the world, using more than one million tons per year, giving a total of 5.2kg of pesticides per Brazilian. However, while increasing production, pesticides pollute the environment and food and are often used without any regulation or control.

In general, more than 30% of the foods consumed by Brazilians are not fit for food because they have high levels of pesticide residues. Concerned with this reality, the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) created the Pesticide Waste Analysis Program (PARA) and periodically conducts studies to verify the amount of pesticide residues in food.

Foods should contain less residue than the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). In its latest report, released in 2012, ANVISA named zucchini as the food with the highest amount of pesticides, followed by lettuce, grapes and tomatoes. In previous studies, released in 2010, the agency named chili as the most contaminated food, followed by strawberry.

Top 10 Foods That Receive the Most Pesticides

According to the agronomist Dr. Adilson de Castro Antônio, from the Federal University of Viçosa, the Brazilian Seeds and Seedlings Trade Association (ABCSEM) identified in a study conducted in 2010 the 10 vegetables that received the most pesticides that year.

Read also: Healthy Eating: Habits and Recipes for a Better Life

It is important to point out that the most pesticide-sprayed foods are always varying, as the use or not of pesticides is the choice of the producer, who can opt for a technique called biological control that is much less aggressive to the food.

Listed below are the 10 foods most commonly given pesticides in their cultivation according to ABCSEM followed by their benefits and cultivation forms. It is noteworthy that to grow food at home you need to take some basic care: how to have the necessary utensils, prepare the soil well, water regularly and bet on natural repellents.

1. Tomato

Tomato is an extremely disease-sensitive food, so there is a need to use pesticides in its cultivation at high levels. Despite the high rate of contamination, if produced with quality, tomatoes only have benefits: they are a source of antioxidants, help prevent prostate cancer, contain significant amounts of vitamins, help prevent aging-related diseases, improve the blood flow and circulation among other benefits.

To make your home cultivation, it is always necessary to keep the soil moist, with good light incidence and sheltered from the wind force, in addition to a well fertilized and fertilized land. You can grow any type of potted tomatoes, including some beginning gardeners prefer to start with cherry tomatoes. It should be planted between September and October.

2. Watermelon

The use of pesticides in watermelons is also high, and one reason is the need to produce large fruits. Watermelon is a powerful source of antioxidants, as well as being rich in potassium, which helps detoxify the body by preventing kidney problems. Its consumption also helps to reduce the body's blood pressure and to protect the skin against free radicals.

Considerable space is required for home cultivation, but there are some solutions for planting watermelons in pots. The best planting time is in August and this requires some care with the soil to prevent pests from attacking, such as a litter of straw, wood or other material under each fruit to avoid direct contact with the pest. ground; turn the fruit every few days to give it a uniform appearance and eliminate malformed fruits.

3. Onion

As the staple food, onions are widely consumed and are produced on a large scale, which also puts them on the list of foods that receive the most pesticides. Nevertheless, its consumption is extremely beneficial.

Onions help control sugar levels in the body, promote cardiovascular as well as gastrointestinal health, as well as aid bone health and have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action. Onions are still rich in vitamin A, B1, B2, B3 and C, iron and calcium.

For home cultivation, there are different forms of planting, some simpler and faster and others more complex and in need of greater dedication. Onions need to be extremely careful with their roots as it is in them that the bulbs form.For this, your land should be very fertilized and ideally use organic fertilizers, thus preventing the emergence of weeds, and they need a uniform moisture throughout their growth and should be planted around the month of August.

4. Zucchinis

In a recent study by ANVISA, zucchini was listed as the food with the highest amount of pesticide residues. However, it is a food with countless benefits such as good for prostate health, is an anti-inflammatory, reduces risk of heart attack and stroke, helps prevent cancer and lowers cholesterol.

For your home cultivation, you need to be aware of the type of zucchini, as each will have different needs and different planting times. But in all cultivation it is necessary to remove weeds and diseased leaves and ensure pollination, even if it is done manually with the help of brushes. Without pollination, there is no fruit.

5. Lettuce

Lettuce is a widely consumed type of foliage, so it is also the result of large-scale production using excess pesticides. Other than that, this simple food is extremely powerful. Lettuce is low in calories and rich in nutrients, aiding weight loss and fiber, it also aids digestion and constipation.

In addition, lettuce is beneficial to the skin because of its nutrients such as potassium, beta carotene and vitamin C, it is also good for bones and eyes and also acts to control diabetes and fight insomnia.

There are several types of lettuce, all of which can be grown at home. The seeds need to be planted in a pot 1 cm deep and as soon as they sprout they should be replanted 7 cm deep. These vegetables need to be grown with space and in 25 cm tall boxers or crates. Your best planting time is between March and July.

6. Melons

Melon also gets a lot of pesticides in its production, however, it is a very good health food as it helps slow aging, protects against bacterial and viral infections, heart disease and osteoporosis, and many other benefits. .

To grow melon, melon requires high light and plenty of water at the beginning of its planting, but little at the time of ripening, so requires specific care. As it has a more complex planting process, it is difficult to grow melons at home.

7. Cucumber

Cucumber is also one of the leaders in pesticide residues as it is highly cultivated food, which encourages the use of pesticides to achieve high productivity.

The fruit has several benefits, such as having a calming effect, having vitamins A, B, C and K, as well as minerals. Due to its highly nutritious composition, it is good for the skin, cancer prevention, digestion, heart, diabetes control, among others.

In home-grown cucumber, high light conditions are recommended in warm weather and without exposure to winds. Its planting time is between August and March. Cucumber irrigation should be regular to keep the roots always moist but never soaked.

8. Carrot

Carrot is one of the most consumed foods in Brazil, and due to this high demand, its production also uses pesticides. It is widely known for its tan-related benefits, but they go far beyond that. It is good for the eyes, prevents the formation of cancers, has anti-aging action, leaves the skin looking healthy and shiny, is antiseptic, helps in the release of toxins, makes the teeth and gums healthier, among many other benefits.

For home cultivation, the best time is between October and March. Carrots need to be grown in extremely light and soft soil for their roots to grow healthy. In addition, carrots prefer high light conditions with direct sunlight for their growth to be better.

9. Chili

In a previous study conducted by ANVISA, peppers were the food with the largest amount of pesticide residues. Bell peppers are attacked by fungi and other pests, so overuse of pesticides. On the other hand, chili is an excellent natural antioxidant. Its intake regulates and protects stomach and intestines.

To grow it at home, the seedlings can already be planted in a large pot, with always damp soil and plenty of light, it is also recommended to use a stake to help growth. The peppers need some care to avoid pests and to keep the seedlings, which are extremely sensitive, in small pots and only after planting them. The planting season is between August and January.

10. Cabbage

Cabbage is a cold weather food and usually also receives pesticides in its production. It is a food rich in vitamins A, C, E, K and B complex, as well as various types of minerals. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action and helps in preventing various degenerative diseases. Its fibers promote the proper functioning of the intestine, also helping in the recovery of ulcers and gastritis.

For home cultivation, it is advisable to choose a warm climate species that tolerates higher temperatures. Its planting time is between July and August. An important fact when planting cabbage is that a spacing of 30 to 60 cm should be given, and that the larger the spacing, the larger the cabbage heads formed.

According to agronomist Daniel Bizelli Pedroso, other foods that use pesticides, even in larger quantities than the foods mentioned above, are grains such as beans, soybeans and corn. When they are produced in large crops, care is taken little to avoid pest contamination and not lose the whole crop.

The expert also added that large food industries invest a lot in technologies to produce their crops with less aggressive pesticides and food purification processes, especially in soybean and corn cultivation, which results in foods with very low risk of contamination and high quality content. Therefore, it is important to invest in brands known for their quality and concern for the purity of production, and opt for local organic producers who will also look for healthier solutions to produce food.

Foods that are least pesticide-fed

The faster its ripening cycle and the higher its resistance to pests, the less pesticide this food will receive, as in the cases listed below:

• Avocado: Avocado is a food that reduces cholesterol and blood pressure, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, acts against constipation, avoids mental fatigue and provides energy by increasing the mood. For its cultivation it is necessary to prepare the seed in a container with water to give root, and then it needs to be planted in soil to produce an avocado.
• Persimmon: Persimmon is good for the entire digestive system but should not be eaten on an empty stomach. It also helps fight cancer and brings benefits against aging, as well as boosting immunity by preventing common diseases such as colds and minor infections. Persimmons can be planted in pots, but this is not recommended, it is ideal to grow it in larger areas.
• Poo: Coconut is extremely beneficial for the body: its water moisturizes the skin, lowers cholesterol, controls blood pressure, replenishes energy and aids in the treatment of stomach ulcers. To be grown in the home, it is necessary to plant coconut trees in large spaces.
• Arugula: Arugula is a food that contains vitamins A, C and K and minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium, being very good for eye and bone health. Its cultivation is extremely easy, the only complexity is the time of harvest that must be before flowering, as this ensures less bitter leaves.
• Cress: Watercress has antiviral action, is good for skin, bones and oral health. Its cultivation is also simple for those who want to plant it at home. But it does require weed and pest care, so you need to use a vegetable blanket to maintain moisture and block any threats and remove weeds and pests when they appear.

The degrees of contamination

The degree of contamination of a food will be higher or lower due to several factors, including its maturation cycle. The longer a food takes to ripen, the more pesticide spray it will receive, such as tomatoes and strawberries that have a longer ripening process and therefore are the fruits that present the most risks. Avocado, persimmon and coconut, because they have a shorter cycle, have low risk.

In vegetables, the contamination factor is caused by pest attacks and the ones most in need of pesticides are, for example, zucchini and peppers, two vegetables found to be highly contaminated by Health Surveillance. Leafy vegetables, on the other hand, are the foods that receive the least spray, but even so, depending on the producer, they may have a high residue index, such as lettuce.

The risks of food consumption with pesticides

Pesticides are chemical or biological substances used primarily to combat pests that can cause disease and damage entire crops.There are several types of pesticides, and they are classified depending on the type of pest they kill, the most common being herbicides, weeds, insecticides and fungicides against fungi.

Regardless of its function, every pesticide is an extremely hazardous product that must be handled with great care. In several studies, the risks of food consumption with pesticides that can be mild to severe depending on the type of contamination are pointed out.

There are two forms of pesticide contamination: acute and chronic. In acute poisoning, contamination occurs through ingestion of the same type of pesticide within 24 hours. This can lead to symptoms such as headaches, allergies and itching. In chronic intoxication, contamination occurs through the accumulation of the same type of pesticide over a long period, which can cause infertility, abortions, nervous system disorders (such as Alzheimer's disease) and even cancer, since some types of pesticides have been pointed to as the cause of cellular changes.

How to protect yourself from pesticide contamination in food

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eating at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables to balance nutrition, avoiding the risk of chronic diseases related to nutritional deficiencies. So there is no way to remove the foods listed above from your diet, but there is no way to lower the risk of pesticide contamination by consuming them. Importantly, since the food is contaminated with pesticides, it is difficult to get all toxic substances out of it, but it is possible to reduce their amount. This is because the pesticide can penetrate the inside of food.

For those who want to avoid 100% the risk of pesticide contamination in food, it is recommended to consume organic products, with proper labels or own production of these foods. But, unfortunately, either because of lack of resources, as organic foods are still a bit more expensive, or because of a lack of time, as a home garden demands dedication, you cannot avoid foods that use pesticides in In your production, here is a list of tips to reduce the risk of contamination:

1. Choose seasonal foods. If it is food crop, generally less pesticide is used in its production.
2. Wash food thoroughly with soap, water and sponge first, then with a tablespoon solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) diluted in one liter of water. At the end the food should be washed again to remove any residue of soap and sodium hypochlorite. This process has not yet been scientifically proven to remove pesticide residues: some experts believe so and others no, but the elimination of microorganisms is proven. In addition, in markets there are specific products for cleaning and decontaminating food.
3. Remove the outer leaves of the vegetables and consume the peeled fruits when possible. These parts concentrate more pesticides.
4. Choose foods that come with responsible producer and agronomist identification labels, as well as certificates given by responsible agencies, so it is easier to know what you are consuming.
5. Vary the type of food you eat. Diversifying reduces the intake of the same type of pesticide.
6. Buy greener, less mature foods, because being less mature may mean that less pesticides have been used.
7. Attention when buying larger foods than usual, because in general the bigger the more pesticide food was used in its production.
8. Stay informed, read news and research about food, if informed is to be aware of how to eat better.

Unfortunately, food production in Brazil still leaves much to be desired in relation to the quality and health of fruits and vegetables, and there is a need to improve the training of farmers and the commitment of all those involved in food production and distribution.

But as long as the situation does not change, you can use these tricks to ensure healthier eating. Think about this on your next market visit. And if possible, grow your own garden at home, as well as therapeutic, is less risky for your health.

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