Fruits are one of the superfoods nature has provided us with. They resemble candies, if we take into consideration their sweet flavor, but the difference is that they also provide many vitamins and minerals which are crucial for our wellbeing. However, many fruits are covered with wax which is made from the same ingredient that motor oils come from. Needless to say, this wax has a negative effect on our health.
Fruit Wax Coverings
Many farmers and manufacturers cover their fruits with wax in order to preserve them. To do this, they first remove the natural wax and then coat them in a petroleum-based wax.
Even though they claim that wax is needed to prevent fungus and bacteria from building up on the fruits and to preserve them, this wax also adds color to the fruit and makes it more appealing. Consequently, people have started wondering whether using wax covering is really necessary or it is just used to give the fruit a nicer appearance and thus make us buy more.
Fruit Wax Ingredients
Given the fact that wax is not considered a food ingredient, companies are not required to reveal its origin. Therefore, there is a lot of controversy in regard to the ingredients used to make this wax. Up until now, it has been confirmed that many of these waxes contain allergens like soy, dairy and gluten.
Additionally, most wax coatings contain fungicides and preservatives, and even artificial dyes and coloring to make the fruit more appealing. Most of the dyes used in food products have been associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.
How to Avoid Harmful Fruit Wax
Even though most conventional wax coatings contain ingredients which may pose serious threat to human health, many companies use wax which is made of all-natural ingredients. Examples of brands which use natural ingredients include Semper Fresh, Tal-Prolong, and Syncera.
Organic fruit waxes use ingredients like carnauba wax, wood resin, and beeswax. Moreover, they don’t contain fungicides, petroleum-based ingredients and artificial preservatives.
To stay on the safe side and ensure you are getting a fruit which is not covered in any wax, buy fruit from the farmer`s market. Moreover, know when the fruit is in season to be sure that it doesn’t contain any preservatives.
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