No need to use baking soda or salt water! Nutritionist dispels vegetable washing myths: Pesticides can be easily removed with "1 liquid"
No need to use baking soda or salt water! 9 categories of fruits and vegetables are the cleanest if washed this way
November 25th is the “International Vegetarian Day”. Many vegetarians are worried about pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. Should they use cleaning fluid, baking soda, salt water and other folk remedies circulated on the Internet to clean them? Dietitian Gao Minmin pointed out in the community that when washing vegetables and fruits, basically washing them carefully with “water” will have the effect of removing pesticides. There is really no need to spend a lot of time washing fruits and vegetables with cleaning products.
Nutritionist Gao Minmin further pointed out that the “9 major categories of fruits and vegetables” that are common in life can be washed in the following ways:
General fruits: The general principle is to “soak first and then rinse”, and finally remove the stems. Fruits that do not need to be peeled, such as cherry tomatoes and strawberries, can be soaked for 5 minutes before being washed with running water. The outer skin of strawberries is full of pores, which makes it easier for pesticides to adhere, so you must be extra careful when cleaning. You can use a filter basket first. Rinse once under the faucet, soak for 5-10 minutes, then rinse one by one under running water.
As for fruits that need to be peeled, such as papaya, dragon fruit, etc., you can use a soft-bristle brush as an aid and gently scrub with running water before peeling and eating to avoid pesticide residues.
Leafy vegetables: For multi-layered vegetables such as cabbage and cabbage, the folds must be opened and washed. The method is to first remove the outer two leaves, then remove them layer by layer and soak them for 5 minutes, then wash each layer of leaves with running water.
Broccoli: Broccoli and cauliflower can be rinsed under running water first. Hold the pedicel and quickly move it up and down in the water. If there are insects hidden in it, cut it into small pieces and pick them out from the gaps.
Roots: such as potatoes and sweet potatoes, it is recommended to rinse them first, brush the surface with a brush and then peel them. If you want to eat the skin together and absorb more nutrients, you must pay more attention to the cleaning of the skin when using a brush.
For small leafy vegetables: such as green vegetables, Chinese cabbage, spinach, etc., the leaves should be opened and the concave and convex parts should be cleaned. It should be noted that the parts close to the roots should also be cleaned.
Fruits and vegetables: For fruits and vegetables such as colored peppers, clean and then cut off the stems.
Melons and vegetables: Clean them first, then use a knife to remove the heads, tails and seeds.
Beans and vegetables: After cleaning, remove the heads, tails, old shreds and other parts that are not to be eaten.
Berries: such as grapes and blueberries, you can use scissors to trim them along with the stems first to avoid pulling them out by hand. Cut the stems and wash them with running water.
The concept of washing first and cutting later is very important! Nutritionist: Remember the “4 major principles” before washing vegetables
If you think the above method is complicated and difficult to understand, nutritionist Gao Minmin recommends that the public can master the following principles and precautions when washing fruits and vegetables, so as to avoid agricultural residue problems and avoid agricultural contamination of other food ingredients:
Step 1: wash with running water. It is not necessary to use salt water, baking soda powder or vegetable and fruit detergent, because there may be problems with cleaning the detergent, just use running water.
Step 2: Peel, stem and cut. Remove unused parts, such as pedicles, roots and depressions, to prevent pesticide residues on the surface of fruits and vegetables from penetrating into tissues from the incisions.
Step 3: Put the dishwashing step last. The public is reminded that when using any tools to handle fruits and vegetables, they should try to put them in the last step to avoid pesticide contamination of the tools and then contamination of other fruits and vegetables.
Step 4: Just wash it before cooking. It is recommended to wash fruits and vegetables before cooking. If they are washed and stored first, there will be a higher risk of bacterial growth and food spoilage.
Nutritionist Gao Minmin also emphasized that the washing step is the only way to reduce pesticides on the surface of fruits and vegetables. The difference lies in the amount of water consumed and how to reduce the loss of nutrients. The main purpose of washing fruits and vegetables is not only to remove pesticides, but also to remove dust and possible parasites. The health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticides. As long as they are washed properly, you can enjoy them with peace of mind.
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