Copyright dailyrecord
A popular fruit enjoyed by Brits nationwide has been dubbed "one of the worst" to consume due to a specific reason, according to a doctor. Dr David Céspedes, a public health expert as described by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, recently voiced his concerns on social media about a fruit often relished by tennis enthusiasts each year at Wimbledon . He was referring to strawberries, but he wasn't implying that they're unhealthy . Rather, he was highlighting the chemicals used to shield them from pests, stating these accumulate in strawberries more than "any other fruit". Indeed, strawberries are brimming with antioxidants and vitamins , as per Healthline. It further states that these, along with plant compounds found in the fruit, could potentially benefit our blood sugar control and heart health. However, Dr Céspedes emphasises that "most people" are making an error when preparing strawberries, one that is simply not "enough" to eliminate the pesticides covering the fruit . He stated: "Unfortunately, strawberries are one of the worst fruits you can eat. They accumulate more pesticides than any other fruit, and the worst thing is that most people think that simply rinsing them with water is enough. "The most common mistake is to put them under the tap for five seconds and keep them moist in the fridge. This does not remove the residue and, on top of that, they spoil much sooner." David shared his method for cleaning strawberries , advising that the fruit should be soaked for 10 minutes in "water with salt or vinegar at 3%", followed by a thorough rinse. He further suggested drying the fruit and storing the strawberries in a well-ventilated container , claiming this approach will help them last longer and ensure they are "really clean". Besides the above benefits, strawberries are also low in calories and contain vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B9, and potassium. It's even been suggested that they could play a role in cancer prevention . Studies have indicated that berries could help stave off a number of cancers through their capacity to tackle both inflammation and oxidative stress. Healthline also reported that strawberrie s have been shown to "inhibit" tumour formation. This applies to animals with mouth cancer , as well as human liver cancer cells. The non-profit organisation Pesticide Action Network UK revealed that research in 2024 showed that many common foods contain PFAS pesticides, with strawberries being the "worst offenders". In 2022, it was found that 95 per cent of the 120 samples tested by the Government contained these pesticides, ominously known as "forever chemicals". PFASs have the alarming ability to linger not only in our environment , but also to "accumulate" within our tissue, blood and bones. The list of the worst culprits includes strawberries at the top, followed by grapes, cherries, spinach, tomatoes, and peaches/nectarines.
