Senin, 09 Juli 2012

Home Grown Vegetables Found to Be Contaminated


Given the fact that, in an attempt to lead a more healthy lifestyle, more and more people are looking into the possibility of growing their own vegetables, a team of German researchers decided to investigate how safe home gardens really are.

They found that, particularly in the case of vegetables grown in urban areas, the risks of contamination are quite high.

The study, conducted by members from the Technical University of Berlin, showed that growing vegetables tend to absorb most of the chemical present in the soils.

This means that growing tomatoes, carrots, green beans and the like in large cities might eventually lead to their being contaminated by various chemical compounds that are part and parcel of urban city life.

Tree Hugger explains that some of the vegetables tested by these German scientists were proven to contain significant concentrations of lead, which is well known to cause developmental disorders and neurological damage.

The same source informs us that vegetables grown close to intense traffic areas and large industrial sites are more prone to being contaminated, and that in such cases simply washing the vegetables before eating them does little to help reduce the potential health threats.

However, it seems that there are a few things one can do in order to protect their home gardens from the high levels of urban pollution.

Thus, allowing other species of plants to grow around the space where the vegetables are planted creates a natural barrier between the latter and the on-going traffic.

As well as this, it is best to take some soil samples and test them at a local laboratory before deciding to go ahead and establish a home garden.

Lastly, perhaps it would also be best to look into the quality of the water you will be using to water your crops.

In spite of this gloomy perspective on homegrown vegetables, the German researchers also argue that, as long as all safety precautions are taken into consideration, the end benefits more than outweigh the potential risks.

Via: Home Grown Vegetables Found to Be Contaminated

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