The fruits most prone to pesticide residues, with the top one looking eye-catchingly fresh at local markets

Strawberry

Strawberries are a superfood rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants (anthocyanins), offering numerous health benefits such as boosting immunity, supporting heart health, controlling blood sugar, and enhancing skin beauty. Eating strawberries helps reduce inflammation, prevent aging, support digestion, and manage weight.

Strawberries are frequently listed on the "Dirty Dozen" list (such as by EWG 2024) because of their thin skin, ground-level growth, and susceptibility to pests and diseases (spider mites, aphids, fungi), requiring frequent pesticide spraying. Lacking a protective rind, strawberries easily absorb chemicals, leading to high pesticide residues. Therefore, they must be washed thoroughly before eating to protect health.

To choose fresh, delicious, chemical-free strawberries, look for fruit with an even, bright red color, fresh green leafy tops that are firmly attached, a distinctive fragrance and a moderate size. Chemical-free strawberries usually keep for only 1-2 days, their leafy tops wilt easily, they have no oily sheen, and the fruit varies in size and shape. Avoid fruit with green/white patches, a faint scent, or an unusually large size.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a nutrient-rich food that offers many health benefits. Illustrative photo.

Tomatoes are among the most nutrient-rich and widely consumed foods in daily meals. This fruit provides many essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, K, B6, folate, and thiamin, along with vital micronutrients including potassium, manganese, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, fiber, and protein.

According to research, a medium-sized raw tomato contains more than one gram of fiber and provides about 22 calories, along with nutrients such as vitamin A, potassium, and the antioxidant lycopene...

Tomatoes are herbaceous plants, making them susceptible to various insects, pests, and diseases; therefore, during cultivation, farmers often have to spray many kinds of pesticides to protect the plants and fruit.

To distinguish "clean" tomatoes from "dirty" ones, women should keep the following points in mind:

- Tomatoes often ripen unevenly due to differences in sunlight exposure. Parts exposed to more sunlight tend to ripen first. Chemically treated tomatoes usually have an attractive, uniform red color and are plump and tight. In contrast, "clean" tomatoes ripen gradually in patches, with darker and lighter areas.

- Tomatoes treated with chemicals or stored for long periods typically lose their stems. Clean tomatoes generally retain their stems and look fresher. Choose firm, moderately ripe tomatoes that may occasionally show faint green spots indicating they are not overly ripe.

- When cut open, naturally ripened tomatoes show yellowish-white seeds rather than green ones, and the flesh is deep red, soft, and mealy.

- For fruits injected with chemicals, even if left at room temperature for a long time, they show no signs of spoilage.

Helpful tips for choosing safe fruits

- Choose fresh, unblemished fruit with a normal appearance, natural color, firm texture, and a heavy feel in the hand.

- Some fruits may be spoiled inside while still looking fresh outside due to preservative chemicals, so inspect them carefully before purchasing.

- Avoid buying peeled, pre-sliced produce soaked in water at markets. The soaking water may be unsanitary or contain harmful chemicals to keep produce white and crisp; furthermore, water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C readily dissolve and leach into the water.

How to clean food

According to the U.S. CDC, wash your hands and necessary utensils before food prep. Expert Carissa Galloway further advises:

- Place fruits and vegetables under cold running water in the sink

- Use paper towels or a specialized brush to clean fruits and vegetables

- Pat produce dry with paper towels if you do not plan to eat it right away. Leafy greens can also be dried using a salad spinner.

You do not necessarily need to use baking soda or vinegar to clean fruits and vegetables.