The Truth about Cleaning Fruits and Vegetables

The Truth about Cleaning Fruits and Vegetables When it comes to eating healthy, fruits and vegetables are always on top of the priority list, regardless of what sort of diet plan you are on. In Britain alone, the average person consumes about 85 kg of vegetables and 65 kg of fruit each year. But the thing is, eating these foods alone doesn’t make a healthy diet, for one simple reason: a lot of them are actually very dirty, and they trap a lot of germs and bacteria.

Find out more about the case of bacteria on our food If you think about it, in many cases the fruit and vegetables on your plate had travelled a long way before they got there. Unless you are growing them on your own and you pick them from the supermarket, you should know that they are hardly fresh. In fact, they are possibly victim to a nasty cocktail of pesticides and wax. It is these things that often lead to food poisoning, headaches and stomach cramps.

The supermarket itself is also a problem in a way. If you take a moment to observe other customers, you will find it curious about how they shop for fruit and vegetables. They will often pick up the produce, smell it and see how it feels in their hands. That alone is enough to transfer millions of bacteria all over the food.

So, how do you clean your vegetables and fruits properly?

Even though it sounds like a no-brainer, some people actually forget to wash their produce in cold water for about 10-15 seconds. This is usually to eliminate most of the bacteria and germs on the food, but not all of them. What you can also do is put some baking soda in a large bowl, and then wash your fruit and veggies there.

This is a good way to deal with the wax coating that some of them have, and also kills off the most germs and bacteria.

Below you will find a few additional clever tips on how to clean specific fruits and vegetables for the best results.

Melons, avocados and mangos

You don’t eat the skin of these fruits, but you should know the germs and pesticides can easily get to the pulp as you peel them. It is best to rinse the skin with warm water before you tackle them.

Berries and grapes These are soft fruits, which you should carefully wash unless you want to squash them. For this reason, it is best to soak them, rather than clean them under running water. 15 minutes should be enough. Dry them on a piece of kitchen paper roll.

Carrots and potatoes You have to brush away the dirt on these vegetables thoroughly. But after that, you should also rewash the produce, peel them and then wash a third time. It may seem like overkill, but consider the fact that these vegetables spend their time in the ground, so there is a lot of bacteria and germs present on them.

Salad greens When you visit the supermarket, you will check the salad greens and often come across the label ‘washed and ready’. Well, the problem is that pre-washed salads often come full of mildew spores, which in turn may result in gastrointestinal discomfort. It is best to buy lettuce and let it rest in cold water and then let it dry before turning it into a salad.

As you can see, there are a few things to remember when washing fruits and vegetables. Now that you know about them, you can better enjoy your healthy meals.

For more of these tips and tricks, check with Top TD Cleaning Company. © Top TD Cleaning Company