Eating five fruits and vegetables a day yes, but do they really retain all their health benefits once contaminated with pesticides? According to one study published in January in the journal Environment International and conducted by researchers from Harvard University, the presence of traces of pesticides on fruits and vegetables could totally cancel the benefits of their consumption for our health.
The researchers focused on the link between fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality, analyzing the eating habits of 160,000 American women and men over nearly 20 years. Fruits and vegetables were classified into two categories: those with high levels of pesticide residues – leafy vegetables (spinach, salad) were more contaminated than other crops – and those with less. Result: people consuming at least four servings of fruits and vegetables with low pesticide content saw their mortality drop by 36%compared to those consuming less than one serving per day, i.e. the expected health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption.
Conversely, when compared with fruits and vegetables with high pesticide content, no decrease in mortality was observed. The consumption of less than one serving or four servings per day would have no effect on mortality from cancer, cardiovascular or respiratory diseases. “This suggests that dietary exposure to pesticide residues may negate the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on mortality.”, concludes the study. Substituting a high-potency portion for a low-pesticide portion may even reduce mortality by 11% within the same populationaccording to the researchers’ calculations.
What are the most contaminated fruits and vegetables in Europe?
And the traces of pesticides on the fruits are up sharply in the European Union, warns the NGO PAN Europe. In study based on the analysis of nearly 97,000 fresh fruit samples (peaches, strawberries, cherries, apples, etc.) between 2011 and 2019 and posted this Tuesday, May 24the organization claims that a third of these samples (29%) were contaminated with traces of pesticides.
Support our brand new campaign “Ban #Toxic12”. Dramatic rise in the most toxic #pesticides found on fruits & vegetables sold in Europe. These chemicals should have been banned long ago. EU governments are failing their legal obligations #BanToxic12
➡️https://t.co/mO0fbdxxozpic.twitter.com/8WVBfXYKip— PAN Europe (@EuropePAN) May 24, 2022
According to the study, the most contaminated fruits are blackberries (51% of samples), peaches (45%), strawberries (38%), apricots (35%) and cherries (35%). Half of the cherry samples were even contaminated with traces of pesticides in 2019, compared to only 22% in 2011. A significant increase when since 2011, the Member States of the European Union must encourage substitute products and limit the use of pesticides as much as possible synthetic (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides).
For vegetables, the risk of contamination is lower: they are less susceptible to insects and diseases. Only 13% of the samples were affected by pesticide contamination (compared to 11% in 2011) with celery, celeriac and kale.
Organic, the best way to avoid pesticides
In the rare cases where organic is contaminated, the levels of hazardous pesticides are also much lower than in conventional. They are only quantifiable for 8% of the samples, in all the other cases the substances being generally absent or present in the state of non-quantifiable traces. “Organic farming products therefore constitute a remedy for consumers, especially those most sensitive to the effects of these molecules: pregnant women, children and adolescents.“, advises the UFC-Que Choisir, which regrets, however, that you have to turn to the most expensive offer to take care of your health.
>> A few exceptions : the Jerusalem artichokes, broccoli, walnuts, cassava, kiwis and asparagus studied all contain less than 10% pesticides.
Sources:
- Intake of fruits and vegetables according to pesticide residue status in relation to all-cause and disease-specific mortality: results from three prospective cohort studies, Environment InternationalJanuary 2022
- Ban toxic 12, Pesticide Action Network
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