Hidden toxins inside vegetables

Veggies are known to be best for you and Your Child. Unfortunately, traces of harmful chemicals are often found in fruit and vegetables.

The reason is that the cost of organic pest control can be high and some countries do not have strict laws against chemical pest control, such as the toxin ‘Paraquat’, which still finds widespread agricultural use. 

Which types of vegetables are the most dangerous?
For a toxic study in 2016, 16 types of Thailand’s most popular fruits and vegetables were tested for chemical residue. The types of fruit and vegetable with the highest amount of residue are:

• Kale
• Red chili
• Yardlong beans
• sweet basil
• morning glory
• Honeysuckle orange
• Dragon fruit
• Guava 

And the vegetables with the lowest amount of residue are cabbage and Chinese cabbage.

What about ‘Organic’ goods?
The study has also found that out of 10 brands of vegetables with the label ‘Organic’, 2 of them have a higher amount of chemical residue than the amount allowed. This means that the word ‘organic’ might not guarantee the safety of the food. A 100% organic agriculture can be very hard to achieve and very costly, therefore, many countries are facing the same problems with unexpected chemical residue and dishonest organic farming.

Can these chemicals be passed on to Your Child?
Paraquat and other dangerous chemicals are proven to be harmful to the fetus. Traces of the chemical can be found in the baby’s meconium and paraquat can affect the little one’s muscle, neuro system, and cognitive ability. Although the effect might not be visible at a young age. 

What can you do?

• Choose the right vegetable and fruit: Buy from a reliable source, such as directly from an organic farm. This way you can trust the quality of your food and help support organic farming.
• Wash thoroughly: Thailand ministry of health advice on washing your vegetable by; running through clean water for 2 minutes, soaking in salted water with 2 tbsp of salt per 4 liters of water, or adding ½ cup of vinegar or 1 tbsp of baking soda to 4 liters of water and soak for 10-25 minutes. Then wash again with clean water
• Buy Seasonal vegetables and fruit.

This might take a while out of your daily routine but it would be greatly beneficial to both you and Your Child’s future in the long run.