February 21, 2017.
Should we stop eating vegetables to avoid pesticide poisoning? The report of an association sowed the seeds of doubt, doctors are now making a difference.
Traces of pesticides on almost all fruits and vegetables
The report on the presence of pesticides in fruits and vegetables, published Tuesday, February 20 by the association Générations Futures caused a stir. Relayed by many media, this text reveals, in essence, that most products sold in stores contain a large amount of pesticides, and these could therefore be harmful to our health.
Its authors explain that on 72% of the 19 fruits and on 41.1% of the 33 vegetables analyzed, traces of pesticides were observed. The latter even exceed the limits authorized on certain products in particular: cherries, mangoes, oranges, apples as well as fresh herbs, celery, tomatoes and potatoes.
It is always better to eat fruits and vegetables
Interpreted in this way, this report could convince a good number of French people, who do not necessarily have the means to consume organic products, but still want to take care of their health, to limit their consumption of fruits and vegetables to limit the risks generated by these pesticides.
Before this trend emerged, specialists and doctors intervened in the media to contradict this message and claim that consuming sufficient fruit and vegetables, i.e. 5 per day, will always be preferable, even if traces of pesticides remain on certain products. Questioned by France TV Info, Dr Nicolle, general practitioner and vice-president of the association Alerte Médecins sur les pesticides affirms that despite the presence of these traces of pesticides, “ it is nevertheless preferable, for health, to consume conventional fruits and vegetables with MRLs (maximum residue limits, note) respected than not to eat them at all “.
Gaelle Latour
To read also Pesticide pollution: “We must protect the brains of our children”
