7 Reasons Why You Want to Always Wash Your Produce
It's a commonly held belief that the ways to
stay healthy are to eat healthy food, exercise, drink lots of water, and wash
all your produce. Washing fruits and vegetables is a must when it comes to
healthy eating. The good news is that there are many ways to clean produce
without removing the nutrients, so you can still keep them safe even if they
look like they might be dirty. It is essential to wash fruits and vegetables
before putting them in the fridge. The reason is that if you store them in the
fridge with any dirt on them, they can contaminate other foods.
1. Keeps Produce Fresh
It's essential to wash your berries and fruits
just before you plan on eating them to help keep them fresh. If you don't clean
the fruit, it could start to mold before you can eat it, which will remove all
of its nutrients. It's best to avoid washing your fruit, but if you do, ensure
you wash them before using them.
2. Reduces Germs and Parasites
Since most of the food we eat comes from
plants, they are susceptible to some of the same things that affect us. They
might have been exposed to harmful chemicals, germs, and parasites. These can
be found on the outside of the fruit and vegetables but also inside your
favorite produce. The best way to kill these things is with water.
3. Remove Farmer's Chemicals
Many chemicals are sprayed on fruits and
vegetables to make them grow faster or to protect against pests. Even if it's
not sprayed directly on them, the pesticide does get on them during the plant's
growing process. It can be found everywhere, from apples to celery to onions.
Chemicals can be harmful to you and your family to eat, so it's essential to
remove them by washing your produce.
4. Stop Food Poisoning
Molds and other harmful bacteria can get into
your food when it's not washed correctly. It is widespread with fruits,
vegetables, and meats that have been left unwashed for a long time and
pre-washed without being appropriately cleaned afterward. It's also an
excellent idea to micro-wash your produce when you buy it from the market. It's
not enough to just put it in the sink and wash it because you may get germs or
harmful bacteria on them.
5. Kills Some Insects
If you are not careful, an insect can get on
your products and carry a disease from which you can get sick. It would be best
if you always cleaned all of your vegetables before cooking or eating them;
this is especially important for those with food allergies. Such insects
include green worms, fruit flies, and white grubs.
6. Removes Dirt and Dust
A lot of dirt and dust can get into your
product while growing and could cause the plant to be damaged or even killed.
It's important to clean your vegetables to stop this from happening. It's
essential to wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them. You can soak
them in 35% hydrogen peroxide, but there are many
other alternatives, like apple cider vinegar or baking soda. You can use soap
if you need to, but make sure you use only a little of it.
7. Prevents Diseases
If you wash your food before eating it,
there's a chance that the bacteria and parasites can be killed before you eat
them. Diseases like E. coli and salmonella reside outside of foods. They can
cause effects like nausea and diarrhea. In severe cases, they can be fatal. The
only way to keep your food disease-free is to wash it before you eat it.
Conclusion
It is essential to wash fruits and vegetables
before you bring them home. Cleaning often can remove any bacteria and
parasites that might have gotten onto them at the farm or market. It will
prevent health risks to you and your family. It's also in your best interest to
wash your produce before you freeze it because if it's not washed before
freezing, the product will start to rot and ruin the other foods in your
freezer.