Chemical-free Produce Cleaning Solutions
November 30, 2015Today's post is a guest from Edna Thompson who is writing to tell us about chemical-free cleaning solutions. I write a lot about incorporating fruits and veggies in your diet. However, having clean fruits and vegetables is equally as important as getting the nutrients from them.
Remember how your mother used to tell you when you were a child you should eat your fruits and veggies because they are good for you? But “Wash them well before you eat them!” she said. And this is a good advice indeed. Especially nowadays when most of the fruits and vegetables we consume are laden with pesticides and all sorts of growth-enhancing chemicals. Removing those is an absolute must if you care for your well-being. Sadly some amounts of chemicals remain in the produce even after washing - bad news for all “fruit-bats” out there. High pesticide levels may lead to a number of health problems including long-term cancer and lowered immunity. That's why we offer these simple tricks for toxin-free produce so you can actually benefit from their consummation. Adopt them to avoid damaging your health.
Wash your fruits and veggies the right way
Never, we repeat NEVER, consume fruits and vegetables before washing them first. Even if you have grown them in your very own garden they are still covered in dust. Wiping them just won't do! That's why you should wash all produce with cold water – this is said to remove up to 80 percent of pesticide residue from the produce' surface. For optimum results you can wash them with salt water. Be especially careful with some types of leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, Napa cabbage and kale – many people do a sloppy job washing them but mind you wash carefully each single leaf under running water before consummation.
Peel!
You have probably heard most of the vitamins and micro-nutrients are concentrated in fruits and vegetables' peel. True, but the same is valid for chemical and pesticide residue. So next time you decide to add a few slices of cucumber to your sandwich make sure you peel it first. This goes for potatoes, eggplants, parsnips, apples and so forth. But bare in mind that even if you plan on removing the skin so and so, you should always wash first! Another efficient way to rid your veggies of toxins and pesticides is to blanch them which basically means you should soak them in boiling water for a few seconds before plunging them in cold water. In addition blanching also helps vegetables to retain their colour, as well as most of their nutrients. Plus, if you decide to sauté them they will absorb far less oil.
Soak the Produce in Vinegar
We suggest you use apple vinegar for best results. Soak the veggies or fruits in a bowl filled with water and several tablespoons of vinegar and let them sit for five to ten minutes. If you hate vinegar feel free to use lemon juice – it's just as effective. With some fruits like nectarines, peaches and apricots you can skip the sitting as it may damage their soft and gentle skin. Then you can take them out and wash them carefully with a brush under running water. Make sure you don't use this brush for any other purposes though. Finally, you can dry the fruits or veggies with a clean piece of cloth and they are chemical-free and ready for consumption.
Yet Another Vinegar Method – Cleaning Spray
Vinegar is very effective when it comes to cleaning in general and used by many companies like TenancyCleaning Acton. That's why we offer a second vinegar cleaning method for maximum convenience. If you don't want to soak your produce in water you can easily prepare a produce cleaning spray. You will only need some clean spray bottle, half a cup of vinegar and the same amount of water, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one of baking soda. Mix the ingredients and pour them into the bottle. Spray your fruits or veggies with the solution, allow them to sit for several minutes and rinse. This will insure all chemicals are removed from the surface.
Today even the healthiest foods may produce some undesirable effects on your health. This goes especially for fruits and vegetables. With those quick and easy to follow tips you will rid your produce from all pesticides and chemical residue so that they can serve their purpose and keep you healthy and energetic.
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