Eating apples and cucumbers with the skin on: nutrition or health?

There are two types of people in the world.

Fruits like apples, pears, and persimmons, and vegetables like cucumbers and carrots can be eaten with their skins or without.

 

The former emphasizes the nutrients found in the skins of fruits and vegetables.

 

The latter also considers health just the same.

 

It's just a matter of different focus.

No matter how thoroughly you wash it, the suspicion that pesticides remain is stronger.

It's sad news for shell enthusiasts.

 

A new study has been published indicating that simply washing fruits and vegetables is insufficient to completely remove residual pesticides on their surfaces.

 

For a study published on the 7th (local time) in the prestigious international journal 'Nano Letters,' a joint research team from Anhui Agricultural University, Wuyi University, and Wuhan University in China developed a new Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) analysis method.

 

This is a precise analytical method capable of identifying even trace amounts of harmful substances that negatively impact human health.

 

Researchers mimicked a series of processes in which the widely used agricultural growth regulators, Taram and Kabendazim, are sprayed onto apples, dried in the air, and then washed with water.

 

As a result of applying a new analysis method, residual pesticide components that could not be detected by the existing method were found on the surface of the peel.

 

Researchers detected pesticide residues in cucumbers, shrimp, red pepper powder, and rice using the surface-enhanced Raman scattering method.

Kavendazine has been shown to increase the risk of liver cancer in some animal studies, and taram is associated with skin irritation as well as fetal development issues.

 

Researchers pointed out that simply washing is not enough to prevent pesticide intake and that removing the skin before consumption is necessary to eliminate contaminants.

 

However, some experts argue that there is no need to be overly concerned about trace residual pesticides.

 

According to a study published in the Journal of Toxicology, the residual levels of the 12 most commonly detected pesticides pose a risk to consumers at a level that can be considered negligible.

 

Many experts emphasize that the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables far outweigh the risks posed by trace residues that may remain in foods, and they stress that people should not hesitate to consume fruits and vegetables due to concerns about residual pesticides.

 

Meanwhile, according to the Rural Development Administration, washing fruits and vegetables by soaking them in water three times is much more effective at removing residual pesticides than rinsing under running water. When soaked in water, the surface of the vegetables or fruits swells, helping various residues to be easily removed.

 

If simply washing fruits and vegetables with water does not provide peace of mind, it is also good to use baking soda, vinegar, salt, or rice water. Acetic acid, a component of vinegar, has the property of attaching to metal ions, making it effective for removing heavy metals from fruits and vegetables. When washing with vinegar and salt, dilute them in water to a concentration of 1%. Adding about 1 to 2 teaspoons to 1 liter of water is sufficient.