4 Simple Kitchen Swaps to Reduce Your Pesticide Exposure

When we think about eating healthier, we often focus on what we're putting on our plates. But how often do we stop to consider how our food was grown, or what chemicals may have been used along the way?

Some crops receive repeated pesticide treatments throughout the growing season, and many of these crops end up in foods and beverages we consume regularly. Think about your morning coffee, your afternoon tea, or the berries you eat with breakfast.

I've been making a conscious effort for years to choose cleaner sources for the foods and beverages I consume, including the occasional alcoholic beverage. And while I don't believe we can eliminate every environmental chemical we're exposed to, I certainly don't see a reason to consume more than necessary.

Here are four simple swaps worth making in your kitchen.

1. Coffee: Make Your Morning Cup Organic

Coffee crops can be treated with insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, depending on where and how they're grown. While roasting and processing can reduce certain pesticide residues, I still prefer knowing my coffee was grown without most conventional synthetic pesticides.

Now consider how much coffee you drink. Two cups a day for 60 years adds up to approximately 43,800 cups of coffee. That's a lot of coffee from a crop that may have been treated with agricultural chemicals.

It doesn't mean those chemicals accumulate in your body with every cup, but repeated consumption makes sourcing worth thinking about.

The swap: Choose certified organic coffee, ideally from a company that's transparent about its growing practices and testing.

2. Wine: Pay Attention to the Grapes

Grapes can receive numerous pesticide applications throughout the growing season, particularly fungicides used to protect against diseases.

And here's something worth considering. It takes roughly 2 to 3 pounds of grapes to produce a single bottle of wine. That's a substantial amount of fruit going into one product.

Not every pesticide applied to grapes makes it into the finished wine, but I'd rather choose grapes grown without most conventional synthetic pesticides in the first place.

The swap: Look for wine made with certified organic grapes, preferably from vineyards that are transparent about their farming practices. Organic sourcing doesn't eliminate the health risks associated with alcohol, but it can address some concerns about how the grapes were grown.

3. Tea: Another Daily Habit Worth a Second Look

Tea plants can also receive pesticide treatments to protect against insects, weeds, and fungal diseases. Research has detected pesticide residues in some dried tea leaves, and certain residues can transfer into the brewed beverage.

If you're drinking tea every day, that's another opportunity to be more intentional about sourcing.

The swap: Choose certified organic tea from reputable producers, ideally those that conduct independent pesticide residue testing.

4. Berries: Small Fruit, Big Reason to Buy Organic

Strawberries frequently show multiple pesticide residues in produce testing, and other berries can also receive pesticide treatments during cultivation.

Considering how often berries end up in smoothies, breakfast bowls, and children's snacks, these are among the first fruits I'd prioritize buying organic.

The swap: Choose organic strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries when possible. Frozen organic berries are a great option, especially when fresh berries are expensive or out of season.

Even Organic Produce Gets Washed in My Kitchen

Here's something worth remembering: organic doesn't mean pesticide-free. Organic farming still permits certain pesticides, and natural doesn't automatically mean harmless.

That's why I wash my produce, including organic produce. For firm fruits like apples, I often use a baking soda soak, approximately one teaspoon of baking soda in two cups of water for 12 to 15 minutes, followed by a thorough rinse.

A 2017 study found that a baking soda solution was effective at removing certain pesticide residues from the surface of apples, although it couldn't remove residues that had penetrated the peel. It's not a universal solution for every pesticide or type of produce, but it's one more precaution I can take.

And frankly, I find it ridiculous that we have to put this much thought and money into avoiding unnecessary agricultural chemicals in our food.

Small Swaps Add Up

I don't need to wait another 30 years to find out whether a chemical we've been consuming was affecting our health in ways we didn't understand at the time.

Just because something breaks down and leaves the body doesn't necessarily mean it couldn't have interacted with biological processes along the way.

I'm not interested in waiting for every possible connection to be established before making simple changes that could reduce my family's exposure.

You don't need to replace everything in your kitchen overnight. Start with the things you consume most frequently. Your coffee, tea, wine, or berries might be a good place to begin.

The less unnecessary chemical exposure I can bring into my home, the better.

And if you're looking to take a more intentional approach to your nutrition, gut health, and everyday habits, that's exactly the kind of work I help people with through Brett Thomas Coaching.

Sometimes improving your health starts with something as simple as changing what's in your morning cup.