You are already tired of knowing that in order to have a healthy diet, you need to consume five to six servings of vegetables daily.
These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, which are essential for the proper functioning of our body, and are still excellent sources of fiber, which increase the feeling of satiety and improve the functioning of the intestines.
However, as many of these foods are consumed raw, special care must be taken when preparing them, washing them in order to remove microorganisms and excess pesticides.
For this, it is not enough just to pass the vegetables under water, or risk completely eliminating all the elements that pose a threat to our health. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to properly wash lettuce and other vegetables and allow you to be more secure in your diet:
How to wash lettuce properly
Lettuce, with all its varieties, is the most consumed leafy vegetable in our daily lives. It is rich in fiber, has soothing properties, contains vitamin K and even helps to decrease glycemic index after meals.
Read also: 18 Mistakes You May Be Making When Preparing Your Foods
Despite all these benefits, it can reach your home contaminated with microorganisms acquired in cultivation or transport, so it needs to be sanitized very well. Check it step by step:
- Wash hands and sink before cleaning to avoid food contamination;
- Cut the hard part at the base of the lettuce and separate the leaves, discarding the outer ones;
- Soak the leaves for 15 minutes in a solution made with 1 tbsp of bleach for every liter of water;
- Rinse the lettuce thoroughly under cold running water, inspecting the appearance of each leaf.
It is important to discard the outer leaves and to remove regions with many folds because it is in these parts of the plant that usually there is the highest concentration of bacteria, pesticides and fecal residues of insects and other animals.
Other Tips for Properly Cleaning Your Food
You may have seen a lot of people using vinegar to sanitize their vegetables, but did you know this is not the best procedure? Check out these and other important tips for cleaning your food and ensuring your meals are safe:
1. It's no use using vinegar
A lot of people like to use vinegar mixed with water to eliminate microorganisms, but the truth is that it does not have the same power as bleach. Vinegar helps remove soil and loosens wash and bugs that get stuck in the leaves, but it does not kill bacteria.
2. Rub fruits and vegetables that will be eaten in shell.
Fruits and vegetables that will be eaten in shell, such as apple, plum and zucchini, should be scrubbed with a clean sponge to remove dirt and bacteria that may be trapped in its coating.
Read also: 8 Best Ways to Clean a Sandwich or Grill
3. Care with watermelon, papaya and cantaloupe
Even if you are not going to eat the peel of these fruits, you must sanitize them to avoid bringing bacteria from the peel to the pulp when cutting these foods. To do this, use the same water solution with bleach.
4. The pesticide does not come out completely
Unfortunately, there is no way to remove all the pesticides used in growing fruits and vegetables. Therefore, if you want to consume food without any poison, you need to resort to organic.
5. Clean sink and utensils thoroughly
Do not forget to sanitize the sink and utensils such as knives and cutting boards. After all, it won't do you any good to wash your vegetables and then handle them on contaminated surfaces that can transmit germs to your foods.
A Simple Setup for Washing Salad (May 2024)
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