New York City nutritionist 6 tips to buying and washing summer fruits and berries

New York City Nutritionist 6 Tips to Buying and Cleaning Summer Fruits and Berries:  Blueberries, Strawberries and Peaches … Oh my!

Summer is a time of bright fruits and berries and decadent flavors. Unfortunately, some of my favorite flavors (peaches, strawberries, blueberries and cherries) are on The Environmental Working Group’s (http://www.ewg.org/)  “Dirty Dozen https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/?gclid=COWu5NLk_c0CFdcXgQodIkMFjQ  … a list of twelve of the most synthetic pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables.

Here are my guidelines for buying, eating, and washing summer fruits for oodles of flavor and, hopefully, healthier eating.

1. Splurge on Organic; Save on Long-Term Side Effects: Up to 67 chemicals are found in some non-organic fruits and berries, strawberries topping the list. Even washing doesn’t rid these fruits of the pesticides and chemicals used to grow them. Buy organic http://www.maryjanedetroyer.com/registered-dietitian-deciphering-food-labels/ , looking specifically for the USDA Organic label.

2. Focus on the Clean 15 https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.php : Summer brings us melons and the flavors of the tropics! Cantaloupe, honeydew, mangoes and papaya. These tropical and refreshing flavors bring the kick and colors of summer without all the worrisome pesticides.

3. Plan Ahead with a Small Garden: Whether you live in an apartment with a small balcony or have a big back yard, you can grow some of your favorite flavors. Urban farming projects http://www.ecowatch.com/10-urban-farming-projects-in-new-york-city-1881814232.html are becoming popular, as the eco-movement and people concerned about eating clean http://www.maryjanedetroyer.com/registered-dietitian-eating-clean/ are becoming more the norm than the exception. Farm City, a best-selling memoir by Novella Carpenter https://ghosttownfarm.wordpress.com/about-2/,  discusses the challenges of urban farming in a lively, funny, accessible way.

4. Support Your Local Economy and Get Healthy: Farmer’s Markets http://www.maryjanedetroyer.com/registered-dietitian-healthy-eating-farmer-market/ always have in-season fruits, vegetables and fish.  It’s an opportunity to engage with local farmers, learn about their practices, and buy the healthiest fruits and veggies on the market while supporting your local growers.

5. Variety, variety, variety! You missed the Farmer’s Market and really are craving some strawberry shortcake. Eating non-organic strawberries won’t hurt you if it’s once in a while. Just don’t consistently eat the same fruits and vegetables that are on the Dirty Dozen. Change them up. This keeps the same toxins and pesticides to a minimum in your body. And it’s easier for your body to flush out small quantities than large.

6. Washing works!  For whatever reason, if you aren’t able to buy organic or go to the Farmer’s Market, wash your fruits and vegetables well. The most toxic chemical, methyl iodide, found in strawberries, is actually used to fumigate the soil. So it is systemic in the flesh of the strawberry added to the fact that most strawberries are sprayed with a fungicide to prevent them from breaking down quickly. The friction, while washing, removes bacteria and dirt. The consensus is that most of the toxic chemicals are in the fruit unless it has a thick skin. But even hand washing each strawberry, gently, can be somewhat effective. As for other fruits, it’s very effective.

It’s summer! It’s time to enjoy the flavors. But it’s also important to be aware of the toxins we might be eating when we take a big bite out of a fuzzy peach. Following these 6 easy guidelines to decadent, healthy summer fruit buying and eating!