Make Your Own Veggie Wash for Pesticide-Free Veggies

One of the reasons I became a health coach is because I learned so much about the toxins in our environment after I started a sustainability consulting business in 2008. I found out that there have been over 80,000 man-made chemicals introduced since the Industrial Revolution. And only a few have been tested for their impact to humans, or our ecosystem overall. The heavy use of glyphosate (the main ingredient in RoundUp) and other practices to eliminate pests on our farmlands as well as kill weeds for perfectly manicured lawns has contributed to significantly declining soil quality. The healthy bacteria in our soil has been destroyed to the point that the nutrient density of our produce is vastly lower than a century ago. Scientists have calculated that you would need to eat 26 apples today to equal get the same nutrition in one apple 100 years ago, or roughly the time that my great-grandma was a toddler. 

What does that mean for my kids’ generation, and their kids? It’s alarming to say the least. But I’ll get into tips for managing that in some other posts.  Today I am sharing a recipe I originally got from Planet Green. When I have time I will make this. If this feels like way too much work then you can also keep a fruit and veggie wash on hand from some of the companies that have been smart enough to create and sell their own (see resource links below). 

Veggie Pesticide-Wash

Ingredients

  • 1 tbs organic lemon juice
  • 10 drops grape­fruit seed extract
  • 2 tbs baking soda
  • 1 cup fil­tered water
  • 3/4 cup white vinegar

Make

  1. Mix well in a sprayer bottle.
  2. Shake before use.
  3. Spray produce (except mush­rooms, because they absorb and retain water) and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
  4.  Rinse well

 

Not into DIY!  There are a number of retail options from companies like Young Living, and others on Amazon that are just a click away.