Keep slicing up those apples and carrots for your kids - and yourself - just make sure to give your snacks a good blast of water.
A large new study linking attention-deficit disorder with exposure to common pesticides could make parents leery of the produce aisle.
“It's not that you always have to go organic,” said Alan Kolok of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. “You can just wash your fruits and vegetables really well.”
Problem is, many of us don't always take the time.
Q: What does the study say?
A: The study involved an analysis of data on 1,139 children ages 8 to 15 and found a link between pesticides and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Kids with higher levels of pesticides in their body had increased chances of having ADHD. The study did not prove that the pesticides caused ADHD.
Q: What fruits and vegetables are most affected by farm pesticides?
A: Many types can be affected, but those grown above ground such as apples, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes and lettuce can have higher amounts of residue.
Q:What's the best way to clean produce?
A: Firm-skinned produce such as apples and potatoes should be scrubbed with cold water and a kitchen brush. You don't need to scrub long. Twenty seconds for an apple is sufficient. A large potato might need 30 seconds or longer. Put soft-skined produce such as strawberries in a colander and run cold water over it for several minutes.
Q: Do I need to clean watermelon and other produce in which the outside isn't eaten?
A: Clean that produce as well. The inside of a watermelon, for example, can be contaminated by a knife that passes through the rind and picks up pesticides.
Q: I've seen products in stores for cleaning produce. Do those work better than water?
A: Cold water works best. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension office did an experiment where it sprayed produce with pesticides and then cleaned the food with water, baking soda and commercial cleaners. Lab testing showed that water removed the most residue.
Q: Will water get off all the pesticide residue.
A: It's not foolproof, but a good cleaning would make any risk minimal. It's healthier for you or your child to eat well-cleaned produce than cookies, chips or other snacks.
Q: Would it be safer to just buy organic produce?
A: Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, but the federal government does not claim that organically produced food is safer. Organic food can be more expensive than conventionally grown foods.
Sources: Alan Kolok of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha; Cindy Brison of the UNL Extension Office for Douglas and Sarpy Counties; U.S. Department of Agriculture
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