A simple kitchen hack: Using baking soda to clean fruits
Fresh fruits may seem healthy and full of vitamins, but they can also contain trace amounts of pesticides, preservatives, and dirt. Simply rinsing them under running water often isn't enough to remove all harmful substances. Fortunately, there's a simple and effective way to clean fruits of pesticides without using expensive products. You only need one item from your kitchen cabinet to effectively get rid of most chemical residues.
Pesticides are commonly used in fruit cultivation to protect them from pests and diseases. Unfortunately, these residues can settle on the skins of fruits and sometimes even penetrate deeper. Consuming such products without thorough washing may increase the risk of ingesting harmful substances. Baking soda works as a natural cleaning agent, effectively helping to remove pesticides, waxes, and other chemicals. So, how should you properly wash fruits to ensure they're genuinely clean?
How to effectively wash fruits with baking soda
This simple method can remove up to 80% of pesticides that might remain on the skins of fruits.
Ingredients:
- 1 litre of water,
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
Instructions:
- Pour the water into a bowl, add the baking soda, and mix thoroughly to dissolve it.
- Place the fruits in the solution and leave them for 10–15 minutes. Then rinse them thoroughly under running water and dry with a paper towel.
Why does baking soda work so well?
Baking soda is a natural cleaning agent that dissolves and neutralizes pesticides and removes dirt and waxes applied to fruits to extend their shelf life. It is safe, non-toxic, and doesn’t change the taste of fruits, so you can use it to wash apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus, and other produce. Unlike plain water, which only rinses surface dirt, baking soda penetrates the pores of the skin and helps remove even invisible contaminants.
Does baking soda remove all contaminants?
While washing fruits in a baking soda solution significantly reduces pesticide levels and removes waxes and dirt, it's important to remember that it does not completely eliminate all chemical substances. Pesticides used in agriculture can penetrate inside fruits, especially those with thin skins like strawberries, blueberries, or grapes. Therefore, the best solution is to choose fruits from organic farms that are not sprayed with synthetic plant protection products. However, if that's not an option, regularly soaking fruits in a baking soda solution is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the consumption of harmful substances. It’s also worth remembering that peeling fruits further reduces pesticide residues, although valuable fibre and vitamins are lost as well.
