For a healthy and well-balanced diet, vegetables should never be missing during meals. Consuming it for lunch and dinner means taking full advantage of all the nutrients it is rich in. In fact, it contains fiber, vitamins, mineral salts, antioxidants and other essential substances for the body. Its benefits are manifold if taken correctly every day: it can increase the immune defenses, help keep weight under control, prevent aging and even important diseases. Practically contributes to the functioning of the whole organism.
For this to happen, however, it is essential to choose vegetables that are fresh and in season, as they keep their nutritional qualities more intact and have great advantages from the point of view of flavor. But the most important thing is that vegetables, when they follow the course of nature, do not need chemical interventions to grow and mature.
However, when buying vegetables, you need to be careful because they can contain chemicals used during cultivation. On the external parts such as peels and leaves, in fact, there may be pesticides such as repellents, pesticides and others, which if ingested can have harmful effects on health, such as interfering with hormonal activity and promoting even important pathologies.
Be careful because tumors and fertility problems could also be caused by some vegetables consumed habitually
A network of non-governmental organizations (Pesticide Action Network – PAN), which work to replace dangerous pesticides with ecologically valid and correct products, have carried out a study to understand what the damage these contaminants can cause. It has been found that they are able to act on the functionality of the endocrine and reproductive systems and that they can promote tumors and fertility problems.
The organization has also drawn up a guide for consumers in which it indicates the most contaminated vegetables. These are vegetables such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, radishes, parsley and soft leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, cabbage, rocket and others. They are all very popular foods. So be careful because tumors and fertility problems could be caused by some vegetables consumed habitually.
Tips for limiting exposure to dangerous pesticides
Despite the many checks in our country, it is easy to buy food contaminated by pesticides. It is therefore important to adopt certain behaviors in order to protect one’s health. It is necessary:
- Prefer fresh vegetables in season, or with the DOP and IGP brands
- Wash the vegetables well using baking soda or vinegar and remove the external part or the peel
- Vary the choice of vegetables you eat
- Verify the provenance and avoid those that come from abroad
- Prefer the organic at Km 0, then buy from local farmers or companies that do not use pesticides.
Preferring seasonal products is a responsible and eco-sustainable choice, but the best solution remains, if possible, to grow vegetables in your own garden with dedication and respect for the environment and yourself.