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An American study conducted by scientists from Harvard University suggests that exposure to pesticide residues – through the consumption of contaminated fruits and vegetables – could counteract their “health effects”.
In an attempt to understand the influence of pesticides on our health, researchers from the departments of nutrition, epidemiology and environmental health at Harvard University examined the dietary habits of 160,000 people and their impact on the mortality.
The contamination of fruits and vegetables would cancel their health effects
For all participants, age, physical activity, smoking status, family predispositions and their eating habits were observed for nearly twenty years.
Fruits and vegetables consumed were divided into two categories: those heavily contaminated with pesticides and others. Leafy vegetables (spinach, salads, etc.) were among the most contaminated.
By the end of the study, 4318 had died from cardiovascular disease, 6426 from cancer and 2012 from respiratory disease.
For the researchers, there is no doubt: eating at least four servings of slightly contaminated fruits and vegetables daily reduces the risk of mortality by 36%.
“Conversely, consumption of fruits and vegetables high in pesticide residues was unrelated to mortality, with some differences for mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease.”, underlines the study.
In summary, the work suggests that exposure to pesticide residues could counteract the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on mortality.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
Consume products from “reasoned agriculture”
An assessment shared by Alexandra Retion, dietitian nutritionist:
“Fruits and vegetables rich in pesticides contain fewer micro-nutrients. We also tend to wash and/or peel them a lot, which accentuates the loss of vitamins, minerals and trace elements”.
His advice? “Consuming organic fruits and vegetables, but also and above all products resulting from a reasoned culture, in other words local, produced on a small scale”. So your fruits and vegetables won’t have been around the world before landing on your plate – and the vitamins will be preserved.
Slide: Pesticides: the most polluted fruits and vegetables