TBT -- Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? That depends.

It's Throwback Thursday and since it's apple season, I thought I'd resurrect this post from October 2011. Since then, we've come to realize it's not just the pesticides we have to beware of -- it's also the GMOs, so to be safe, only buy organic apples or from farmers you know who do not grow genetically modified apples.

Photo by Petr Kratochvil

My now-3-year-old granddaughter, Laura, and I were singing silly songs and saying silly things on Sunday morning on the way to church. And some not-so-silly things. For instance, I said, "Let's spend some time thanking Jesus for things. You start. Thank you, Jesus, for ..." And without hesitation, Laura said, "Work." That one threw me, but I had to agree with her. Yes, I was thankful for work. She followed that with "our meals" and then "cantaloupe." That started a fruit roll. When we got to apples, I said, "Did you know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away?" To which she replied, "That's silly." Maybe, but maybe not. It all depends on how well you wash that apple!

Here is a post (used with permission) I came across on the Eat Cleaner website blog, written by Mareya Ibrahim, and wanted to share with you in the midst of apple season! While this may seem like a plug for Eat Cleaner, it is more than that. I'm including this on the blog because I believe it is important for you to know. But I also do believe in the product, as I indicated in my review back in June. And you know how I am about products I believe in! The following was posted on September 26, 2011:

New scientific study reveals that rinsing apples – the most contaminated produce item on the market – is ineffective in removing pesticide residue.

LOS ANGELES, CA, – Grow Green Industries, Inc. (GGI) and Ultimate Labs in San Diego, California, initiated a pesticide reduction test last week that concluded that red, green and yellow apples found at your local grocery stores may be harmful to your health if only washed and dried with water.

However all is not lost, as the study suggests that when the apples were treated with EAT CLEANER All Natural Fruit + Vegetable Wash and Wipes, they proved a 99.8% reduction of the Atrazine pesticide and 99.7% reduction of the Simizine pesticide – both of which are commonly used in U.S. agriculture but are banned elsewhere due to their toxicity. EAT CLEANER was more than 99 times effective than water, the control.

Mareya Ibrahim, the founder and president of GGI says, “We believe, and have now proved, that using the EAT CLEANER Wash and Wipes can play a significant role in safely in effectively reducing and almost eliminating dangerous pesticide residue from apples both at home and on the go with our Fruit + Vegetable Wash and Concentrate and our biodegradable Wipes.”

“Many harmful pesticides are not water soluble and since the majority of produce is waxed, they can get trapped under the surface. Pesticides such as the ones we tested are not only dangerous, they’re banned in the EU (European Union) and have been linked to cancer and hormonal disruption. Families and food service companies can safely and effectively use EAT CLEANER to remove wax and pesticides from fresh produce” added Dr. Shawki Ibrahim, Chief Scientific Officer, GGI.

According to a yearly survey by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture), 98% of apples have pesticide residues, ranking them as the most contaminated product in America, jumping from third to first place, in front of celery and strawberries.


Mareya Ibrahim, Founder and President of Grow Green Industries, Inc. and the EAT CLEANER® brand is an award winning 18-year veteran of the food industry and a food safety expert. Mareya, a mother of two, is strongly committed to community outreach, especially as it relates to the health and well- being of children.


Keeping it green and healthy,