How do you wash your fruits and vegetables?
Every day we use vegetables and fruits in our diet. We clearly need to wash our vegetables before eating them, although it is indeed a boring process. How do we do it? What is the right way? What mistakes do we make? These are all the topics I want to share with you in this article. Of course, don’t go anywhere, because later I will reveal my own way of making a handmade cleaner for better sanitation!
How are we at risk if we do not wash our fruits and vegetables?
What you need to remember is the word infection. More specifically, the infection can come either from soil, dirty water, and insects that can come in contact with the plant or it can come from the pesticides used by farmers in order to increase the yield of their crop. So, it’s quite clear that we are at risk and we must take measures to avoid the unpleasant consequences.
Do you use soap to wash fruits and vegetables?
If you follow this tactic, you must stop it immediately! Why? Because fruits and vegetables have pores and chemical substances can go right through them and therefore you can consume them. So we say no to soap! And after we have clarified one of the most important DONTS, we proceed to our natural and effective tactics…
Do you rinse your fruits and vegetables in clean water?
Fresh, clean water is very important! This is in fact the first step we must follow! So, rinse your fruits and vegetables under running water. For hard-shelled fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, you can use a clean sponge or vegetable brush to remove the dirt.
Vinegar, salt, lemon or baking soda?
All these are very useful and definitely affect and contribute to the decontamination of these foods, so that they are ready for consumption. Now, moving on to the second step, add to a bowl clean water and a little vinegar and soak your vegetables for 10-15 minutes. Do not use too much vinegar, because then they will have a strong vinegar taste. In case you want to avoid for sure this taste, you can add salt in the water and you are going to have the same result.
For fruits and vegetables that have a thin shell, such as grapes and peaches, you should be careful in washing, which will be with water only. If, however, you want to be completely sure of their cleanliness, you can put lemon instead of vinegar in order not to affect them. So, place them under the tap and make sure to rinse them thoroughly with clear water.
But what about salads like lettuce and cabbage? You should definitely remove the outer leaves, remove the stalk and follow the same soaking procedure. Finally, dry the leaves on a paper or a towel or even better in a vegetable dryer, if you have one.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms are a category by themselves. They are consisted of 97% water and they are incredibly absorbent! So, no, you do not wash the mushrooms! Clean the head, remove some bumps, if there are any and of course the stalk. If you wash them properly, they will absorb a lot of water, which is not something we want, and your food will be filled with all that extra water. If, however, you want to wash them so much, pass them very, very quickly under the tap and then let them drain on a piece of paper.
What do we do with organic fruits and vegetables?
This is a good question, as many believe that organic products are free of all harmful elements and can be consumed as they are, since no pesticides or other destructive substances have been used. However, this is a myth and of course we must be careful and wash them, as well as the rest. There is a possibility that they will touch the ground during collection or transport, but there is also a possibility that an insect will bite them. Water, air and soil, therefore, play a decisive role. So we continue to pay attention to what we consume.
Why should I choose organic fruits and vegetables?
Firstly, organic products do not contain chemicals or pesticides. This is their main feature that puts them at the top of the list and consumers prefer to pay more as long as they know exactly what they are buying and avoid all the negative effects on their health. Also, we must not forget the negative effects of pesticides on the environment. If we want to save the planet and our future, we must choose these foods in order to free nature from chemicals and reduce as much as possible our footprint on Earth.
Briefly, follow the table below…
| Summary Table | Wash with water | Wash with water and sponge | Soaking in water and vinegar | Drying before consumption | No need to wash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruits / Vegetables with thick shell | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Fruits / Vegetables and thin shell | ✔ | ||||
| Greens | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Mushrooms | ✔ |
What? Did I promise you a super tip for a DIY cleaner?
Let’s see… The truth is that I have tried many different natural cleansers that I have made myself. Generally as much as I can, I try to avoid shopping things like these from the supermarkets, but when I do, I make sure that they are vegan and cruelty free. This, however, is an issue that we will analyze in the future. At the moment I have to give you a wonderful recipe (no, we will not eat again) to make your own vegetable and fruit wash. Are you ready?
WHAT’S NEEDED:
- sprayer
- 500ml water
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- the juice of 1/2 lemon
- 10 drops of grapefruit
Mix all the ingredients together and sprinkle your vegetables. You will have decontamination and a perfect scent!
