I want to know everything about dirty fruits. How and why should you wash vegetables and fruits? Bio, your garden or wash with baking soda

We all know that eating a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and berries helps us stay active and healthy longer. Numerous studies confirm that eating plenty of fresh produce reduces the risk of developing some types of cancer and other diseases. On the other hand, we also care about safety, having heard more than once about the dangers of raw fruits and vegetables. For example, outbreaks of salmonella or E. coli are possible due to the fact that we often eat fruits and vegetables raw, without processing. And we forget to destroy pathogenic microorganisms. It turns out that fruits and vegetables are a potential source of foodborne illnesses.

If you are unsure about the safety of fresh produce, it is important to know how to prevent possible food poisoning associated with these types of food. For example, in the case of vegetables and fruits, washing is the best way to reduce the risk of possible consequences.

Raw fruits and vegetables must be washed very thoroughly before cutting, eating or cooking anything from them. This reduces the amount of bacteria that may be present on fresh produce.

Nowadays you can find fruits and vegetables from every corner of the world in the store, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to be sure of their naturalness and safety. When storing and transporting vegetables and fruits, various chemical compositions, which are used to treat the surface of products to maintain their presentation. It should be added that when harvesting through dirty hands and harvesting equipment, the products become infected with various pathogens.

The microbes that are found in dirt usually do not have any harmful side effects for healthy people. Sometimes we only need to consume a small amount of microorganisms to become infected and get food poisoning. We already know everything about

• salmonella, as a result of salmonellosis
• Escherichia coli, which causes intestinal poisoning
• listeria, resulting in severe toxicity and food poisoning
• Staphylococcus aureus, which causes poisoning
• candida, which causes mycoses
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes pneumonia
• Ersinia, which causes pseudotuberculosis

We recommend careful hygiene practices throughout the home under all circumstances, but extra vigilance is required when preparing food for the elderly, young children, the immunocompromised and pregnant women. Here are some simple, effective and natural ways to keep raw fruits and vegetables healthy and safe for the whole family:

be sure to wash your hands hot water with soap before and after cooking

Clean countertops, cutting boards, and utensils after washing produce and before cutting or chopping. Bacteria from the outside of the product can be transferred inside when it is cut or peeled. Wash kitchen surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.

no matter whether homemade, farm, from the market or from the store, fruits and vegetables must be washed well

Do not wash vegetables and fruits with soap or dishwashing detergents

try to use clean drinking cold water

If vegetables or fruits have very thick skin, use special vegetable brushes to wash away stubborn germs

products with a lot of nooks and crannies, e.g. cauliflower, broccoli or lettuce, be sure to rinse for 1 to 2 minutes in cold, clean water

Some berries, such as raspberries or blueberries, for example, do not need to be rinsed in water. Place them in a colander and spray distilled water over them. Or simply soak for one to two minutes to reduce the risk of foodborne illness

after washing dry with a clean paper towel. This will help remove more bacteria.

do you eat while running? Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and use it to wash the fruit.

Once you have cut or peeled fruits and vegetables, put them in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

Why can't you just rinse with water? Have you ever thought that pesticides are designed to withstand rain, so using only water can remove surface contaminants, but this will not be very effective in removing pesticides.

Why is it recommended to use distilled water? Because distilled or bottled water is filtered and purified to remove contaminants. You can also use very clean cold tap water instead of distilled. One for newborn babies or for people with problems with the digestive system, we highly recommend using distilled water.

Why can't you wash food with soap or dish soap? The problem is that these household products have various properties and may contain unwanted chemical substances. They can also be potentially dangerous if you eat them because they are intended for other purposes. These detergents can also penetrate the skin of vegetables and fruits and cannot be washed off.

And yes, we are against extremes when fruits and vegetables are soaked for several hours, because it is more practical to simply choose the right product!

Some interesting facts:

Department Agriculture The US Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Working Group conducted nearly 51,000 tests to investigate pesticides in fruits and vegetables from 2005 to 2010. Pollution was measured in six different ways. Here's what happened:

12 Most Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables:

• Cherry
• Pears
• Imported grapes
• Potato
• Strawberry
• Nectarines
• Peach
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Bell pepper
• Spinach
• Apples

12 Least Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables:

• Avocado
• Pineapples
• Eggplant
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Sweet pea
• Cabbage
• Kiwi
• Onion
• Mango
• Sweet corn
• Asparagus

The study found that eating the "12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables" would expose a person to about 14 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the "12 Least Contaminated" foods would result in less than 2 pesticides per day. While EWG statistics show that it is safe and healthy to eat less contaminated fruits and vegetables, it is also important to understand that most of the "12 More Contaminated Foods" such as spinach, strawberries and apples provide the body with extremely nutritious and essential substances. In general, our daily diet should include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, but be sure to wash the products before eating.

Along with juicy fruits eaten unwashed, you can get very unpleasant “surprises”. First of all, infection with intestinal infections, especially active in the hot summer. Intestinal infections are generally common among the population, and children under seven years of age are most susceptible to them. After all, the immunity of a child, especially a small one, is very weak against pathogens.

Acute intestinal infections manifested by increased body temperature, chills, weakness, headache, dizziness. Possible aches in the joints, nasal congestion and sore throat, which resembles the picture of the flu. However, with intestinal infections, manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract are required - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping pain and rumbling in the abdomen, intestinal spasms. In severe cases, increased blood pressure, breathing problems, muscle spasms, loss or confusion.

IN Lately In addition to acute intestinal infections (such as dysentery and salmonellosis), infections caused by opportunistic flora were added. Moreover, such infections can be even more severe. These are Klebsiella, Cytobacter, Enterobacter and others, in small quantity living in the human intestines without manifesting themselves in any way. However, when they enter the gastrointestinal tract in large quantities, they cause an acute intestinal infection, clinical manifestations reminiscent of dysentery.

Imported fruits are usually coated with paraffin to increase shelf life. It forms a thin film on the skin of the fruit, which in itself is harmless, but bacteria, dust, and worm eggs accumulate on it.

The simplest way to process fruits is thorough washing . Water removes bacteria and worm eggs. After washing under a running stream, the fruits are rinsed with warm boiled water.

What products should you not save on and go to an organic store for them, and what can you safely buy in a regular supermarket? We will learn about the most environmentally friendly and, conversely, the most contaminated fruits and vegetables from a nutritionist.

Plant foods are a source of many substances beneficial to our body: fiber, vitamins and microelements. But at the same time, manufacturers so actively fertilize fruits and vegetables with all kinds of chemicals that they can cause harm like the apple from the fairy tale about Snow White. Moreover, some fruits accumulate toxic substances especially actively.
As a result of numerous tests, scientists have calculated which fruits and vegetables contain the greatest amount of nitrates, heavy metals and other poisons. “It is better to buy such products from farmers or in organic stores,” says Natalya Fadeeva, Ph.D. nutritionist-endocrinologist at the MEDEP family medicine clinic. - Or, as an option, grow your own summer cottage. Eat fresh in season, freeze for winter.”
The most contaminated fruits and vegetables are:
- Zucchini and squash. Nitrates and heavy metals accumulate in the peel, so it is necessary to peel them before use.
- White cabbage“deposits” nitrates in the upper leaves and stalk, in which lead and cadmium can also accumulate. It is better not to use these parts of the head of cabbage in cooking.
- Potato accumulates nitrates and heavy metals in the peel. If you are not sure about the ecological purity of the tubers, it is better not to cook them in their uniforms. If potatoes are stored in the light for a long time, they turn green because they accumulate solanine, a very toxic substance, and should not be eaten at all.
- Carrot is also capable of absorbing nitrates, but in the tips and middle, where there may also be heavy metals.
- Parsley, spinach, celery, dill can accumulate nitrates in the stems, so it is better to eat only the leaves.
- Beets can collect toxic substances in the upper part, near the tops, and below, near the tail: cut them off with a reserve. - Watermelon and melon dangerous substances accumulate right under the peel - don’t be greedy, don’t finish eating the pulp.
- Apples and peaches with frequent fertilization and spraying, toxins also accumulate under the skin, clean them before use. It is better not to gnaw the apple to the very core.
- Lingonberries, blueberries and cranberries can be dangerous due to cesium and a number of other toxins if grown in contaminated areas, near highways. Without knowing where the berries were picked, do not buy them.
- Grape often processed: fertilized and sprayed. And being a watery berry, it perfectly absorbs and retains all toxic substances. Particularly unreliable are the grapes that come to us from afar, arriving on the shelves after long-term storage and transportation.
“To protect yourself, all vegetables and fruits should be thoroughly washed before eating or even soaked in water for 30-60 minutes and then peeled,” says Natalya Fadeeva. - Another way to remove toxins from them is to heat them. You can stew or, say, bake not only potatoes and carrots, but also apples. This will rid them of most of the nitrates and pesticides. Regularly include in your diet foods that can remove dangerous substances from the body: milk, cottage cheese, tea with milk... It has been proven that the nitrate content in the body is reduced by 70-80%.”
The most environmentally friendly fruits and vegetables
These are products with thick, dense skins that protect them from contamination. Citrus fruits (grapefruits, lemons, oranges), bananas, avocados, corn, onion, tomatoes, eggplants, green peas can be bought at any supermarket. According to Natalia Fadeeva, currants and gooseberries are also the safest from an environmental point of view.
Make a list of the healthiest and safest fruits and vegetables for yourself and keep it handy when you go shopping.

Among all the vegetables and fruits sold in our supermarkets, strawberries contain the largest amount of pesticide residues. The Dutch newspaper Trouw writes about this today.

A list of “dirty” and “clean” foods is published annually in the United States. Coincidentally or not, strawberries top the list of “dirty” foods.

Strawberries contain six times more harmful substances than other fruits and vegetables, reports the Dutch Food and Welfare Authority (NVWA, similar to FAVV in Belgium). Each batch of strawberries contains on average 7 to 8 harmful substances, but in one of the samples there were as many as 17. These indicators are within the acceptable toxicity limits, so the NVWA did not record any violations.

Experts consider this approach outdated. “You don't need to look at the toxicity of individual substances, but rather the combination as a whole,” they say. Although a European directive has imposed this responsibility on supervisory authorities since 2005, the European supervisory authority EFSA has not yet developed a methodology. And, in addition, it is necessary to study the entire list of products consumed per day by the average resident, because pesticides are present in all vegetables and fruits.


“Clean” and “Dirty” products: how to distinguish?

How can consumers tell which products are good and which are not? In the United States, the Environmental Group (EWG) publishes an annual list of "dirty" and "clean" crops, the so-called Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen.

This year, the USDA detected a total of 178 different pesticides and pesticide degradation products in thousands of samples. Nearly 70 percent of 48 conventionally grown fruits and vegetables contained greater or lesser levels of pesticide residue. Pesticide residues remain even when fruits and vegetables have been washed or peeled. Some types of pesticides can penetrate the skin.



Strawberries, like last year, are in the first place of crops, where most of the (residues) of pesticides are preserved. It is followed by spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, paprika and potatoes. It is no coincidence that this list mainly includes fruits and vegetables with soft, easily permeable shells, where pesticides can easily penetrate.

☢ More than 98 percent of strawberries, spinach, peaches, nectarines, cherries and apples tested positive for at least one type of pesticide

☢ Strawberry samples contained 20 types of different harmful substances

☢ On average, one kilogram of spinach contained 2 times more pesticide residues than any other crops



Corn is at the top of the list of foods with the least amount of pesticides. It is followed by avocado, pineapple, cabbage, onion, peas, papaya, asparagus, mango, eggplant, honeydew melon, kiwi, cantaloupe (cantaloupe), cauliflower and grapefruit.

✓ Some pesticide residues were found in only 1 percent of the avocados and corn tested.

✓ More than 80 percent of the pineapples, papaya, asparagus, onions and cabbage tested showed no traces of harmful substances

In European countries there are similar lists that differ from each other, but are similar in many respects.

Bio, your garden or wash with baking soda?

EWG recommends reducing your consumption of foods on the dirty list and choosing organic foods, or growing them in your own garden. For vegetables and fruits from the “clean” list, this does not matter much.

But not everyone can afford biological products and/or their own production. Rinsing and/or peeling remains good advice, even if it doesn't get rid of all the pesticide residue.
According to American scientists from the University of Massachusetts, for more thorough processing of vegetables and fruits in the “bath”, it is recommended to use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

Incredible facts

Fruits are a necessary part healthy eating. However, we often don't even think about what we eat.

We know that oranges are orange, and we have no idea that we've been eating the same banana for 50 years.

Did you know how expensive the perfect fruit can be? These and others fruit facts, which may surprise you.

Durian fruit

1. Foul-smelling durian is a powerful aphrodisiac

Durian is a fruit native to South Asia that is known for its bad smell. The smell is so unbearable that in many in public places It is banned in Asia.

But few people know that this smelly fruit has powerful aphrodisiac properties. It is believed that he has instant effect on a person's libido, and the tender and smooth pulp of the fruit is a sensual pleasure in itself, combined with rich flavor notes.

According to a saying from the Indonesian island of Java, "When the durian falls, the sarongs (skirt-like clothing) rise." The legend arose after people watched after eating durian, the animals almost always indulged in mating.

Durian contains high level tryptophan, which is converted into the happiness hormone serotonin, causing a feeling of pleasure. Studies on mice showed that mice given durian for two weeks had increased libido and improved reproductive performance.

Growing bananas

2. Bananas are too perfect

Genetic diversity ensures the longevity of species. However, the same cannot be said about bananas. Despite the fact that there are more than 300 various types bananas , most people in the world eat one type called Cavendish .

It's delicious, convenient, and grown all over the world, from Hawaii to Thailand. However, no matter where it grows, it is genetically identical, which means it is more vulnerable. In the absence of genetic diversity, disease or fungus could wipe out the entire world's banana population.

For example, previously one of the most popular types of bananas was Gros Michel until the fungus destroyed almost all bananas of this species. Billions of dollars have been spent to find a replacement for Gros Michel bananas.

Despite efforts to create more resilient, genetically diverse banana species, the Cavendish banana is also facing extinction. The problem is partly caused by the fact that bananas do not reproduce through seeds, and breeding new varieties requires seeds. In addition, almost all modern bananas are mutations derived from 10 plants that were cultivated on the African continent.

Best fruit

3. The perfect fruit is hard to find.

In Japan the fruit given as a gift family members, friends, colleagues and business partners. It is considered a luxury item and the better it is, the more memorable the gift becomes.

There are even shops called Senbikiya that specialize only in perfect fruit samples. The fruits sold in this store are not only free of stains and dents, they must be in perfect shape. And some look so big and juicy that you can doubt that they are real.

For example, a basket of 12 strawberries will cost you $83, and three melons can cost $419.

This is the price not only for perfection, but also for the labor of growing such fruits. Greenhouse owners work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing the right amount of nutrients and maintaining the right temperature. And all this effort can go into growing one single specimen.

Properties of berries

4. Most berries are not berries.

A berry is a fruit that has fleshy contents and an outer shell and is formed from the ovary of a plant. It means that grapes, avocado, eggplant, sweet peppers, tomatoes are also botanically berries.

Cranberries, blueberries and gooseberries are so-called " false berries", that is, they are formed from the ovary of the plant, but not from the superior ovary, due to which they could be classified as true berries. In addition, these berries are formed partially from the receptacle, which also excludes them from the category of true berries.

Raspberries and blackberries are actually " drupes", that is, a fleshy, thin-skinned fruit containing several hard-shelled seeds.

There are also compound fruits, that is, more than one fruit comes from one flower. Strawberry belongs to false fruits, that is, it is formed from the ovary, tissue of the ovary and non-ovary, on the skin of which there are structures called achenes.

Fruit orange

5. Orange is usually not orange.

In their naturally ripe form in warm countries where oranges are grown, their outer layer contains a lot of chlorophyll, giving them green color.

In cooler areas, chlorophyll is destroyed in the same way as in leaves on trees, and the orange color of the flesh appears. It is green oranges that are ripe, and those that turn orange have already passed the peak of ripeness.

However, people still tend to associate green fruits with unripeness, and many oranges are artificially turned orange by subjecting them to flash freezing and exposure to ethylene gas to get rid of the chlorophyll in the skin.

Dogwood

6. The Cherry That Deceived the Devil

Cornelia cherry or dogwood is one of the the most ancient fruits with a long history. When in the texts Ancient Greece, Rome and Persia mention cherry, meaning dogwood.

It is used in syrups, compotes and jams, as well as in the production of wine and vodka, but is rarely consumed fresh.

In Turkey there is legend: When Satan came to this country, he saw that the dogwood trees were blooming early, and decided that they would bear fruit earlier. He sat under a tree and waited, while other trees around him bloomed and bore fruit. Finally, when he discovered that the dogwood trees were the last to bear fruit at the end of the summer, he got really angry.

Dogwood is still called " Shaitan berry"or the tree that deceived Satan.

Growing watermelon

7. Watermelon has been a source of water for a long time.

From a botanical point of view, the watermelon fruit is also berry with thick bark and pulp inside.

Nowadays we eat watermelon mainly as a snack on a hot summer day. However, they were originally cultivated for very practical purposes. Some of the first mentions of growing watermelon can be found in Egyptian hieroglyphs, who have more 5000 years. It is also mentioned in the cultures of Asia, India and the Mediterranean.

Famous Scottish explorer David Livingston discovered watermelon fields in Africa. Watermelon grows in dry areas, and since ancient times it has been more than just food. Since watermelon 90 percent consists of water, in many dry areas of Africa, it was used as a source of water. The researchers carried it as a natural water bottle.

Another benefit of watermelon is the fact that it waste-free and all parts are edible.

In addition to consuming the juicy pulp, they use seeds, which are roasted, and the bark, from which they make jam or pickle.

The benefits of apples

8. “He who eats an apple a day never sees a doctor.”

You may have heard this saying, and there is plenty of scientific evidence that regularly consuming apples has many health benefits.

So one study showed that consuming a handful of dried apples for six months leads to decrease in level bad cholesterol and promotes weight loss.

Additionally, those who eat apples have a reduced risk of stroke, improved respiratory function, and an easier time maintaining a healthy weight.

Apples reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer by half, improve brain function and cellular health, prevent the development of dementia, and reduce the risk of diabetes.

Regular apples are often overshadowed by more fashionable fruits, but history shows that beneficial features apples have been known for centuries. Thus, the remains of apples were found in prehistoric settlements dating back to 6500 BC.

the Forbidden fruit

We are all familiar biblical story Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit, but it turns out that the idea forbidden fruit is a stimulant for chimpanzees.

Researchers from University of Stirling In Scotland, they studied the courtship habits of chimpanzees in wildlife and found that females were more likely to offer to mate if the male brought them fruit. But not just any fruit, but one that was stolen from people's lands.

Scientists suggest that females were attracted not by the food itself, but by rebellious behavior, although people never seriously threatened them.

Guarana

10. Guarana contains 2 times more caffeine than coffee

If you look at the composition of many energy drinks, then you will find guarana in the list of ingredients.

According to legend, the unusual fruit grew from the eye of a murdered boy, and guarana actually looks like a bloodshot eyeball. Guarana is also used as an aphrodisiac, usually in the form of a drink with nuts and birds' eggs.

European missionaries in 17th century Brazil noted that local residents used a berry that not only gave them energy, but also allowed them to go without food for many days.

Guarana became a colonial traded commodity that was said to protect against disease, but in large quantities caused insomnia. The caffeine in guarana is different from the caffeine in coffee.

Guarana contains chemical components called tannins, which cause longer lasting effect than caffeine from other sources.

For centuries, guarana berries were ground into powder and smoked in a long process. The guarana drink was passed around in a container during formal events and gatherings, which is different from the modern habit of gulping down energy drinks.