Everyone is exposed to pesticides – no matter where you live. Practically every plant you can think of is exposed – and fresh fruits and vegetables top the list.

Pesticides are designed to repel insects, weeds, and fungus to improve yields and meet supermarket expectations. However, their toxic residues can linger on food, and studies show that pesticides infuse waxy plant cuticle skins penetrating beyond simply washing away.

In addition to produce, hundreds of other crops grown in the U.S. get doused with pesticides like glyphosate (aka Roundup), usually in combination with other pesticides. Did you know weed killers containing glyphosate are routinely sprayed on golf courses, playgrounds, and school lawns? And if you live in a flat part of the U.S., glyphosate can travel through the air for miles across the plains.

The health effects of rampant pesticide use can be serious and long-lasting. Ongoing exposure is associated with early neurodegenerative decline, cellular damage, carcinogenesis, reproductive/developmental disorders, and respiratory issues. Plus, pesticides like glyphosate rob nutrients from the soil, potentially reducing the nutritional value of foods, particularly zinc, manganese, and vitamin B12.

Washing your produce can help cut down your exposure to some pesticides. Soaking is a better strategy for particles (brief 10-second rinses have been shown to remove less than half residues):

Run firm fruits and raw vegetables under cool tap water vigorously rubbing surfaces. Soak delicate berries/greens for 2-5 minutes to facilitate penetration rinsing membranes naturally. Warm water aids in dissolving waxy cuticles but risks absorbing more chemicals faster. Discard the initial soak batch after. Repeat to maximize pesticide removal, especially important for the “Dirty Dozen” or most sprayed fruits and vegetables types like strawberries, spinach, kale, and grapes, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Baking soda can help remove pesticides. It is thought to work by increasing the alkalinity of fruits and vegetables and induces something called “alkaline-induced hydrolysis,” which separates compounds forced off plant cuticles.

 Studies show that baking soda dissolves up to 80% DDT, permethrin, and other pesticide residues from tomatoes, peppers, peaches, nectarines, and apricots over tap water alone. produce types improving residue reductions over tap water alone.

Here are two fruit and vegetable rinses featuring baking soda to try:

1. Mix 2-4 tablespoons of baking soda per quart of water. Soak firmer fruits/vegetables for 5 minutes gently rubbing surfaces. Rinse afterward to prevent an overload of sodium or metallic flavor.

2. Mix 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and 1⁄2 organic lemon juice in a spray bottle. Spray produce and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Vinegar is thought to help remove pesticides by breaking down oxidized compounds, disrupting pH levels, and/or interfering with molecular adhesion of pesticides to plant surfaces.

Lab analyses reveal that vinegar breaks down roughly 80% organophosphate and carbamate pesticide residues from peaches, apples, spinach, celery, nectarines, and strawberries – among the most sprayed crops for battling orchard pests and disease.

Try this vinegar cleanse method for fruits and vegetables:

Mix 2 parts vinegar with 3 parts water. You can also add lemon juice to boost acidity and vitamin C levels. Vitamin E oil can be added to help permeate waxy cuticles. Soak delicate berries for 2 minutes. You will need to soak harder fruits/vegetables for up to 5 minutes. Repeat this cycle for best results.

The majority of commercial produce washes use basic soap-based surfactants – similar to what you can achieve for pennies using mild castile soap and water. Some brands contain plant-derived essential oils touting “all-natural” appeal and premium pricing.

However, few actually contain organic acids and enzymes that effectively react chemically with pesticides. If you want to try a commercial fruit and veggie wash, ask for data from agricultural testing that validates the wash’s performance, particularly for produce on the “Dirty Dozen” list.

Sprayed pesticides and other environmental chemicals accumulate on the outer skins, peels, and layers of fruits and vegetables. Removing peels, cutting off skins, and getting rid of the outer layers of fruits and vegetables can help you avoid the parts that contain the most residual chemicals. Be sure to rinse your produce again after peeling.

Even though glyphosate is pervasive in our environment and can drift onto organic crops through wind or rain, research shows that people who eat an organic diet have significantly less glyphosate in their urine than people who consume mostly conventional foods. Look for the USDA organic label or the Regenerative Organic certified label on products. To qualify for “Certified Organic” status, farmers cannot use glyphosate or other pesticides on crops.

Products with a “Glyphosate Residue Free” label are tested by an accredited laboratory at least three times per year, providing extra assurance against glyphosate exposure in foods that consumers buy. More than 100 food and supplement brands and thousands of products have been certified, and many more are coming to market.

Even though Bayer (owner of Roundup) has committed to removing glyphosate-based weed killers from the U.S. residential lawn and garden because of glyphosate-related lawsuits, these products are still in circulation. Instead of using commercial weed killers, hand-pull weeds or leave them alone — many plants considered by some to be “weeds” are therapeutic plants, such as dandelions.

If you feel you must get rid of weeds, make a homemade weed killer by mixing white vinegar, table salt, and dish soap and spraying onto unwanted plants. Better yet, learn how to make your lawn organic, free from the use of harmful pesticides, with The Lawn Care Toolkit: The Basics of Eco-Friendly Lawn Care by Sunday and Stonyfield Organic, two organizations that have a joint mission to help transition all fields and lawns to organic maintenance.

Commonly eaten with fruits and vegetables, grains like wheat, rice, and oats often contain elevated levels of pesticides that are sprayed right up until harvest. For example, glyphosate is used as a pre-harvest drying agent on non-GMO crops (including wheat, oats, and legumes). Surprisingly, the highest levels of glyphosate have consistently been found in these non-GMO foods. Some research shows that pre-soaking and then rinsing grains five times before cooking can significantly reduce pesticide levels in non-organic grains.

Studies show that the average American home has up to 12 different pesticides circulating inside, detectable in air samples. HEPA-rated air filters help remove these and other chemicals and microbes from indoor air, reducing your pesticide exposure and creating a safer, cleaner indoor home environment.

Cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the U.S., and pesticide residues can end up in new cotton clothing, bedding, and other textiles. Be sure to wash new cotton items at least twice to help remove pesticides, as well as other textile chemicals that can harm your health. Even better: Buy clothing and bedding made with organic cotton whenever possible.

Studies show that pesticides tracked into your home on shoes from nearby lawns, gardens, and other sources can stick on floor surfaces for years — despite regular cleaning. Having a no-shoes policy at home protects your indoor environment and helps keep your home free of pesticides. This is especially important for anyone with babies or pets.

Certain compounds — such as fulvic acid, alginate, and citrus pectin — act as “binders” within the body. This means, they attach to pesticides (including glyphosate) and provide broad-spectrum removal of and protection from these toxins. Fulvic acid and other natural binders heal the body and are not associated with side effects. One trial involving four people in areas with high exposure to glyphosate found dramatic decreases in glyphosate residues in their urine samples after six weeks of taking a fulvic acid-based supplement.*

GlyphoDetox safely detoxifies pesticides, glyphosate, and other toxins from the body and blocks their absorption in organs and tissues.* GlyphoDetox is a daily pesticide detox supplement that provides complete detox and defense, while nourishing the body with antioxidants and mineral-rich compounds to boost nutrition, digestion and overall health.* 

Sources:

Mesnage, R., et al. Use of Shotgun Metagenomics and Metabolomics to Evaluate the Impact of Glyphosate or Roundup MON 52276 on the Gut Microbiota and Serum Metabolome of Sprague-Dawley Rats. Environ Health Perspect. (2021) Jan;129(1).

Mertens M, Höss S, Neumann G, Afzal J, Reichenbecher W. Glyphosate, a chelating agent- relevant for ecological risk assessment? Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018;25(6):5298–5317.

Kurenbach B, Marjoshi D, Amábile-Cuevas CF, et al. Sublethal exposure to commercial formulations of the herbicides dicamba, 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and glyphosate cause changes in antibiotic susceptibility in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. mBio. 2015;6(2):e00009-15.

Samsel A, Seneff S. Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases III: Manganese, neurological diseases, and associated pathologies. Surg Neurol Int. 2015;6:45.

Samsel A, Seneff S. Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance. Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013;6(4):159–184.

Rueda-Ruzafa L, Cruz F, Roman P, Cardona D. Gut microbiota and neurological effects of glyphosate. Neurotoxicology. 2019 Dec;75:1-8.

Woźniak E, et al. Glyphosate affects methylation in the promoter regions of selected tumor suppressors as well as expression of major cell cycle and apoptosis drivers in PBMCs (in vitro study).Toxicol In Vitro. 2020 Mar;63:104736.

Martínez MA, et al. Neurotransmitter changes in rat brain regions following glyphosate exposure. Environ Res. 2018 Feb;161:212-219
Glyphosate Contamination in Food Goes Far Beyond Oat Products: ewg.org.

Stephanie Seneff, PhD. Toxic Legacy: How the Weedkiller Glyphosate Is Destroying Our Health and the Environment (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2021)