How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables: A Comprehensive Guide

Reducing bacteria and residues on fruits and vegetables can be achieved by washing them with water. While produce with more crevices can be swished in a basin of water to remove dirt, most produce can be cleaned with a simple gentle scrape.

A nutritious approach to obtaining important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants is to eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Rinsing fresh fruits and vegetables well with water before eating has long been recommended to remove any unwanted residues from their surfaces.

 

Why it’s important to wash fresh produce

Regardless of a global pandemic, making it a habit to properly wash fresh fruits and vegetables is crucial to minimize the intake of potentially harmful residues and germs.

 

Before reaching your kitchen, fresh produce passes through the hands of various people in grocery stores or farmers markets. It’s prudent to assume that not every pair of hands touching the produce has been clean.

 

Given the constant flow of people in these environments, it’s also reasonable to assume that the fresh produce may have been exposed to coughing, sneezing, and breathing.

 

Thoroughly washing fresh fruits and vegetables before consumption can significantly reduce residues left on them during their journey to your kitchen.

 

Cleaning your fruits and vegetables is a straightforward process, though it’s easy to miss a step that could compromise the safety of the produce. Here’s a simple guide:

1. Choose Quality Produce: Start by selecting fresh produce without bruises, mold, or damage. If buying precut items, ensure they’ve been refrigerated or displayed on ice, and check the expiration date.
2. Proper Storage: Keep perishable fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator (unless they’re best at room temperature) at 40°F or below. Always refrigerate precut items.
3. Hand Hygiene: Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling fresh produce.
4. Preparation Before Peeling: Wash the produce before peeling or shredding to prevent contaminants from transferring from the knife to the fruit or vegetable.
5. Rinsing Process: Hold the produce under cool running tap water, gently rubbing it as you rinse. No need for soap, except for mushrooms. Use a sharp paring knife to cut away damaged areas.
6. For Firm Produce: Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub surfaces of melons and winter squash.
7. Produce with Uneven Surfaces: Soak bumpy produce like cauliflower and broccoli for 1 to 2 minutes in cold water (after removing outer leaves), then rinse again.
8. Drying: Use a clean cloth or paper towel to dry the produce before using it.

 

Special Attention to Salad Greens

1. Leafy Lettuces: Discard wilted outer leaves, remove the root end, and separate leaves under cold running water.
2. Smaller Greens (Spinach, Arugula): Swirl them in a bowl or sink filled with cold water for about 30 seconds, shake gently, and drain in a colander.
3. Iceberg Lettuce: Remove the core by hitting the stem end on the countertop. Hold under cold running water, pulling leaves apart slightly, and invert to drain.
4. Mesclun: Rinse in a colander or salad spinner basket.

 

Additional Tips for Safely Washing Fruits and Vegetables

When it comes to ensuring the safety and health of your produce, it’s natural to consider going the extra mile in the cleaning process. Here are some important reminders for washing fruit, vegetables, and lettuce:

1. Avoid Soap or Detergents: Refrain from using soap or detergents when washing produce. Stick to simpler methods for effective cleaning.
2. No Need for Special Washes: You don’t have to invest in specialized produce washes. Using cool, clean, running tap water is sufficient for cleaning fruits and vegetables.
3. Wash Before Peeling: Clean all produce before using, even if you plan to peel it. Dirt and bacteria on the unwashed exterior can transfer into the fruit or vegetable when using a knife.

 

The Baking Soda Fruit Wash

A study at the University of Massachusetts Amherst revealed that a combination of baking soda and water was more effective at removing pesticides from apple skins than water alone. While our Test Kitchen found no harm in trying this fruit wash—soaking apples for 2 to 12 minutes in a solution of 1 tsp. baking soda and 2 cups water, then rinsing—we lack the tools to measure remaining pesticides.

Now that you know the right way to wash fruits and vegetables, you can confidently keep all your nutritious produce safe for use in berry desserts, healthy salads, or plant-based meals with just a little meat.

The Magical Black Spotted Banana You Would Actually Throw Away – But Read This First

We eat a lot of bananas. Well, not as much as a monkey does, but well, they’re our distant relatives. A banana is a very healthy source of sugar, potassium, Vitamins A, B and C, dietary fiber, iron and also – protein!

Bananas also play the role of antioxidant food, because they contain dopamine and catechin. But here’s a big secret the pharmacy doesn’t want you to know:

BANANAS ARE A FRUIT THAT COULD BEAT CANCER. And not that only – the black-spotted bananas are actually better than the completely yellow ones.

A study showed that eating 2 black sported bananas per day for a whole month, will boost your metabolism and fight those cancerogenic cells if you have them developed somewhere in your organism. 

 

Here are some of the many benefits.

1. Lowers the blood pressure

The potassium which is as substance present in the bananas has this ability. It actually balances the salt in our organism. A well balanced organism needs balanced sodium and potassium.

 

2. Improves digestion

If you’re struggling with diarrhea, heartburn, as well as constipation, you should definitely eat a banana. Or two. This is because they are “richer fruits” than the rest in ingredients, but also because they’re easy to digest.

 

3. Improves your memory, as well as your mood

You remember in cartoons how on the teacher’s desk there’s always an apple? Well, having a banana would be better, because they’re the best brain food, besides nuts. They supply the body with nutrients that are essential for a proper neurological function of the brain and our body. They help the nervous system and our brain to regular the mood swings, the appetite as well as the cognitive functions, such as the memory and focus.

 

4. Stabilizes diabetes

It is scientifically proven that a good and balanced diet improves the insulin levels, which are high in people who have diabetes. Because bananas are rich in potassium, fiber and Vitamin C, as well as healthy sugars (that still need to be recorded), they are a great food choice for diabetics.

 

5. Bananas protect the heart

Potassium consumption of approximately  4,069 mg per day has been scientifically proven to lower the risk at almost 50% of getting ischemic heart disease.

Instead of a conclusion, I will offer you this citate.

“Japanese researchers have proven that ripe bananas [help] fight cancer. As your banana ripens, its antioxidant levels rise, strengthening your immune system and increasing your white blood cells! In fact, ripe bananas are eight times as effective as their younger green siblings when it comes to elevating the cancer-fighting potential of white blood cells.”

How to Use Baking Soda to Wash Off 96% of All Toxic Pesticides from Your Fruits and Vegetables

 

Nowadays, people are becoming increasingly aware of the health concerns linked to the use of pesticides. 

 

According to the WHO( World Health Organization):

“Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops against insects, fungi, weeds and other pests. In addition to their use in agriculture, pesticides are also used to protect public health in controlling the vectors of tropical diseases, such as mosquitoes. 

But pesticides are also potentially toxic to humans. They may induce adverse health effects including cancer, effects on reproduction, immune or nervous systems. Before they can be authorized for use, pesticides should be tested for all possible health effects and the results should be analyzed by experts to assess any risks to humans.”

 

Researchers have found that baking soda is a versatile product that can offer a myriad of health issues, and among them, it can successfully get rid of up to 96% of pesticides from fruit and vegetables.

Additionally, studies have shown that it is even more effective than standard bleaching procedures, as it is a highly alkaline product that neutralizes chemicals and pesticides by breaking them down into molecules.

A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts conducted a study on the effects of baking soda on gala apples. The apples were treated with two of the most common pesticides to the apples, phosmet, which is a known insecticide, and thiabendazole, a fungicide that has been found to penetrate apple peels and were afterward rinsed with three liquids.

The first one was tap water, the second a 1% baking soda/water solution, and the thirst was the most popular bleaching solution, approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The results showed that the second solution removed the most pesticide residue from apples, even though it took it 12 to 15 minutes to fully eliminate all of them.

 

The lead author Dr. Lili He said:

‘Pesticide residues may remain on agricultural produce, where they contribute to the total dietary intake of pesticides. Concerns about potential hazards of pesticides to food safety and human health have increased, and therefore, it is desirable to reduce these residues.’

 

This powerful, eco-friendly produce wash will cleanse the fruits and vegetables and lower the risk of health issues due to the use of pesticides.

All you have to do is to add a few tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl of water and place the produce in the solution to soak for a few minutes. Rinse with cold water. Moreover, you can even scrub them with a bit of baking soda. Simple, but genuinely beneficial and powerful!

Additionally, despite washing the fruits and vegetables with this solution before use, can also follow the tips below to help you minimize the risk of pesticide exposure:

— Grow your own produce or buy organic and locally grown fruit and vegetables.

— Learn which foods have higher pesticide residue levels

— Use non-toxic strategies to control insects in the garden.

What Fruits And Veggies Looked Like Before Humans Domesticated Them

Our ancestors had the privilege to consume foods that are terrifyingly different that our fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, even the bananas you eat don’t have pretty much in common with the yellow delicacy your great-great-grandmother ate.

It’s so strange to know that watermelons and corn today look and taste different than “their ancestors.”

Farmers have selectively breed fruits and veggies. Yes, we’re talking about genetic engineering. This procedure now gives us produce with less seeds and more flesh. But, it isn’t as bright as it seems.

Selective breeding involves selection and cultivation of crops with “preferred” traits which is supposed to improve the taste of most foods. Watermelons are “made” to produce more flesh and less seeds. Believe it or not, bananas in the past had harder seeds than the fruits you eat today.

People have altered almost every fruit and vegetable, and now we eat something that is different than the foods our Paleolithic ancestors ate. Watch the video below for more highlights on the true story of selective breeding.

 

Pineberry – The Unique Healthy Fruit That Tastes Like Pineapple

As soon as pineberries were introduced to the market, which was not a long time ago, they quickly became an absolute hit!

Pineberries look like unripe strawberries, but they offer amazing health benefits! Pineberries are unique-looking, tasty delights with a characteristic, delicious taste.

Pineberries or Pineberry Strawberry, are also known as Ananaserdbeere in Europe, which is the German term for these fruits. They are similar to strawberries in appearance but to pineapples in taste. They have a white flesh with red seeds all over it and look extremely attractive.

They are in fact the oldest strawberries variety, and their appearance on the market came as a result of the crossing of Chilean white strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis, and North American red strawberry.

The result of this combination was Fragaria ananassa– which was a base material for numerous strawberry varieties.

These fruits usually grow from March to December, but their popular appearance might bring them on the edge of extinction.

Pineberries are rich in nutrients and are powerful antioxidants. This is the nutritive value of a pineberry, ( 2 oz serving):

Energy …………………………………………………………………………….. 577

Calories…………………………………………………………………………….. 138

Alcohol……………………………………………………………………………… 22.7g

Carbohydrates……………………………………………………………………  0g

Fiber…………………………………………………………………………………… 0g

Sugar………………………………………………………………………………….. 0g

Cholesterol………………………………………………………………………… 0g

Sodium………………………………………………………………………………. 0g

Fats……………………………………………………………………………………. 0g

 

Furthermore, these are some of the most important health benefits of this fruit:

Improve the Immune System:

These fruits are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, so they boost the immune system and prevent viruses and the flu.

 

Strengthen Bones and Teeth:

These fruits are also high in vitamin A, which is extremely important for strengthening bones and protection of the teeth.

 

Improve Heart Health:

Pineberries are high in potassium which controls blood pressure, and thus prevents heart failure, stroke, heart attacks, and cardiovascular diseases.

 

Powerful Antioxidants:

These fruits lower the oxidation in the body and prevent various conditions and diseases, such as heart diseases and cancer.

 

Prevent Digestive Problems:

Pineberries help the bowels moving since they are rich in fiber. Fiber also regulates cholesterol levels and prevents heart disease. These fruits provide a feeling of satiety and will keep you full for a long time.

 

Boost your energy levels:

Pineberries are high in carbs, which is not good for your weight, but keep your body energized.

 

Perfect for pregnant women:

These delicious fruits are rich in folate which is vital for the proper development of the fetus and is great for the prevention of birth deformities or defects of the baby.

Pineberries can be grown at home as well, and you can even purchase pineberry plants online and grow them in your garden.

How To Pick The Perfect Watermelon: 5 Key Tips From An Experienced Farmer

Especially in this time of the year, there is nothing more refreshing and delicious than a cold slice of watermelon. Yet, not all watermelons on the market are delicious, and it seems that picking the best one is up to chance.

Yet, apparently, you can actually judge the watermelon by its shell, as there are some useful tips on how to choose the right one. An experienced farmer provided 5 pieces of advice on how to spot the perfect watermelon:

 

Size

Size matters, it is true, but numerous people believe that the bigger the fruit, the better the taste. The reality is that the average-sized watermelons are the best.

 

Gender of the watermelon

The ‘boy’ watermelons, for instance, are more watery, while the ‘girl’ ones are sweeter. In order to recognize them, you should know that the boy watermelons are more elongated and taller, while the opposite ones are stout and more round.

 

Field Spot

All watermelons have such spots, but the color of the spot of the best ones is creamy-yellow or orange-yellow. Try to find one with a gold field spot.

 

Tail

The tail of this fruits shows the ripeness, so in order to get the watermelon with the best taste, always buy the one with a dried one. A green tail means that the fruit has been picked too soon, so its taste will not be the best for you.

 

Webbing

The webbing of a watermelon shows the number of times that bees touched the flower. Hence, the more signs of pollination, the sweeter the taste of the fruit is.

Make sure you remember these 5 perfect tips and you will always pick the perfect watermelon.

I Never Thought To Cut A Watermelon Like This. This Is So Smart (VIDEO)

No one really spends time thinking about how to slice the watermelon, so we simply do it as we were taught to.

We slice it, grab a slice, and another one, and that is pretty much all.

However, apparently, there is a technique which can make it much easier. First of all, think about all the fruit which remains on the rind while slicing the watermelon and the mess it all creates in the kitchen.

Yet, the following video will show you another way to cut the watermelon, and you will thus manage to avoid the mess and get much more fruit of it.

Initially, cut the watermelon in half, and make a tiny incision through the rind and around the center. This will snap the fruit in half, so just flip it to be on the end, and remove the peel.

The white rind can be removed afterward; you should cut off the top and take it off.

Then, cut it into small slices, turn the cutting board 90-degrees, and once more cut it into slices, but this time, in the opposite direction. Now, just place a bigger bowl over it, flip the cutting board and the slices of the delicious watermelon will be all placed in it.

Can it be easier? Just try it out a few times, and you will never cut the watermelon in the old way again!

 

Tomatillo Harvesting Guide - Best Time to Pick Tomatillos

Growers may ponder when to harvest tomatillos for the best flavor since tomatillos are a favorite in many vegetable gardens. Are green tomatoes the same as tomatillos? No, they are not the same. One tomatillo plant produces fruit to an almost absurd degree, which means you can create a lot of salsa verde or green salsa, as well as other delicious dishes with only a few tomatillo plants in your garden. Knowing when to harvest tomatillos ensures you pick the fruit at its most flavorful stage.

Physalis philadelphica and Physalis ixocarpa are the two types of tomatillos – there are many different kinds of both. Where does tomatillo come from? These nightshade family members are endemic to Mexico and Central America and have been central in Mexican cuisine in enchiladas, stews, and tomatillo salsa for hundreds of years.

After investing time during the growing season, it is unsurprising gardeners are eager to understand the intricacies of harvesting tomatillos to ensure their hard work is rewarded with delicious ripe tomatillo fruits. Ripe tomatillos not only look better but taste better. Selecting the correct tomatillo harvest time makes it easy to ensure ripe fruit every single harvest.

Easy Tips for When to Pick Tomatillos

When are tomatillos ready to pick? Known as the husk tomato or ground cherries, these bright green fruits look like a green tomato inside a papery husk.

Tomatillos are an excellent choice for your garden because they yield much fruit from a single plant. Since the plants do not self-pollinate, you need at least two or more tomatillo plants to ensure pollination so they can produce fruit. What to grow with tomatillos or ground cherries includes carrots or peas.

Tomatillo plants generate a lot of yellow blossoms. These flowers eventually convert into spherical, empty husks. The tomatillos begin to form there, ultimately filling in the husks and finally ripening to delicious fruits. Understanding when to pick tomatillos allows you to enjoy your harvest at its ripest.

Patience is required when growing tomatillos, whether growing tomatillos indoors in pots or containers or outside. Also known as Mexican ground cherries or Mexican husk tomatoes, tomatillos take a long time to ripen. If you’re impatient, you could even hand pollinate them.

However, once they begin to fruit, they are prolific producers. Harvest season is approaching as green lantern-like husks form on the plants.

 

How do I Plant Tomatillos in My Garden?

In warmer climates, grow tomatillos from seed right in your garden. If your USDA zone is cooler, start them indoors six weeks before the last frost to avoid the outdoor danger of frost damaging the seeds and preventing germination. When the weather is more favorable, your seeds are ready for transplanting in your garden.

Select your favorite tomatillo variety seeds. The Toma Verde is a popular choice due to its quick maturation and sweet taste.

Choose an area with full sun and well-drained soil and provide even watering, especially as fruits grow. Tomatillos grow in a similar way to tomato plants.

They require tomato cages or strong staking to support the heavy fruit to keep the laden stems from lying on the ground. Be vigilant for pests like aphids and snails, and treat promptly to avoid fruit damage. Mulching around the base of the plants helps conserve soil moisture.

 

How Long Does it Take for Tomatillos to Grow?

The tomatillo plant was first cultivated in the United States in the 1980s. Because of the plant’s newness, many gardeners are unfamiliar with it. If this is your first time growing tomatillos, you may wonder how long does it take for tomatillos to grow.

Before they start producing blooms and fruiting, tomatillos grow tall and have a lot of leaves. Fruit begins to ripen 60 to 80 days after transplantation if you start your tomatillo plant indoors, and it continues to produce until frost.

Picking tomatillos as they ripen allows the plant to continue fruiting, providing a bountiful harvest. When are tomatoes or tomatilos ripe? In 75 to 100 days, the fruits are ready to eat. Once they begin to bear fruit, the plants continue to produce until frost returns.

 

Understanding When to Harvest Tomatillos

Because each variety grows to a distinct tint, the color of the tomatillo fruit isn’t a good indicator of ripeness. The acidity and flavor of the early green fruits are the strongest, and they soften as they age.

The husk is the best sign of when to pluck a tomatillo. Fully ripe tomatillos are firm and turn yellow or purple if your plant is a purple tomatillo variety.

Harvest tomatillos when the fruits are still green since they have the most flavor. For sustained fruiting, it’s critical to understand when to harvest tomatillos. Choose fruits with burst husks and no evidence of disease, mold, or insect damage. Remove and compost any damaged fruits.

From mid-summer until late fall, the best time to harvest tomatillos is in the morning. Keep monitoring the husk on the outside of the tomatillo to determine when it’s time to pick it. The fruit expands to fill the husk, and the plant produces papery shells. Pick tomatillos as soon as the dry skin separates.

Underripe tomatillos have a loose papery husk, and the fruit feels small and hard inside the covering. Harvesting at this stage produces fruit that is not pleasant to eat.

Overripe tomatillos have an extremely dry husk and fruit with larger seeds and less flavor. Ripe tomatillo fruit fills the husk, feels slightly soft to the touch, and tastes the best.

 

How to Harvest Tomatillos with Ease

Once you know when are tomatillos ready to pick, next comes how to harvest tomatillos.

One tomatillo plant produces 60 to 200 fruits in a growing season or a massive two and a half pounds of fruit per plant. Pick tomatillos every 7 to 14 days to keep your plants producing for a higher yield.

 

Tomatillo Harvesting Supplies

• Garden pruner or clean scissors
• Basket or container

 

To harvest tomatillos, twist the fruits gently or cut them off at the vine using a garden pruner or clean scissors. Collect fruits and place gently in a basket or container to avoid bruising. When removing a small portion of the husk, the fruit should be shiny and free of blemishes.

Like their tomato counterparts, ripe tomatillos may fall off the vine when they’re ready. Check around the base of your plants once you’ve determined they’re almost ready to ensure you don’t miss collecting any fallen fruits.

Tomatillos continue to bear fruit into the fall. Tomatillos drop into the garden when they’re ripe and begin to decay. Attempt to pull them from the dirt before the fruit breaks.

As the fruit starts to rot on the ground, you’ll have a mushy mess on your hands during fall cleanup. Furthermore, seedlings emerge in the spring if the seeds stay on the ground during the winter. This is fine to grow plants in your garden again, but if you don’t remove the fruit, they become a persistent nuisance and compete with other crops.

 

Storing and Using Tomatillos after Harvest

You’ll have plenty of tasty fruit to share with family and friends once you’ve learned how to plant tomatillos. To store tomatillos, keep them cold and dry. They keep for approximately a week on the counter and three weeks in the fridge in a paper bag. Keep the husks on the fruit until ready to use to extend the shelf life.

Depending on the variety you planted, ripe tomatillos are green, purple, or yellow when peeled. When tomatillos are still green, they are ripe. As they turn yellow, the acidic flavor they’re famed for fades. Purple tomatillos have a sweeter taste.

Remove the rest of the paper husks from your tomatillos before eating them. They should peel away easily. Because the husks make the fruit sticky, give it a good rinsing in warm water before eating to remove any residue.

Use chopped fresh tomatillos in guacamole or salsa. Roasted or sautéed tomatillos are great in sauces and salsas. Tomatillos are somewhat more acidic and citrusy than tomatoes but easily substitute them in any cuisine with tomatoes in the recipe.

Tomatillos are often blended into a delicious sauce to pour over enchiladas. They’re delicious in salads or as part of tasty green salsa.

When to pick tomatillos has troubled gardeners for years. As color is a poor indicator, studying the husk and understanding when to harvest tomatillos for best results is critical.

Unlike tomatoes, tomatillos can’t be placed in a sunny spot to ripen after harvesting as they won’t mature further after removal from the plant. When to pick tomatillos needs to be more precisely timed than tomatoes, but it is possible with a little knowledge.

Whatever your USDA zone, give these delicious fruits a try. They are heavy producers generating lots of fruit per plant, making them a great choice to get more crops for the space they use in your garden. The fruits store well and are easy to use in green salsa or be canned to enjoy in the off-season.

If you enjoyed this article on when to harvest tomatillos, share these helpful tips on how to harvest tomatillos with your family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook.

 

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