How to wash the Fruits and Vegetables before Use

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons by Elina Mark

We have to make sure that whether the fresh vegetables and fruits taken by us daily are healthy or not. Several germs, pesticides and insecticides remain attached with the fruits and vegetables purchased from the market. These unfriendly and disease casing living and non- living things enter our kitchens and cause several health problems. So it is better to get rid of these unwanted things.

Some traces of insecticides and pesticides remain stuck with the fruits and vegetables available in the market. These harmful chemicals are not visible to the eyes, yet they are very harmful to health.

So it is advisable to properly clean the fruits and vegetables before use. The following measures will help to clean them and get rid of harmful things attached to them.

Clean with White Vinegar

The white vinegar is the best to get rid of bacteria and chemicals sticking on the sruits and vegetables. Soak the fruits and vegetables in vinegar for 5-10 minutes and then thoroughly wash with clean water. The ratio of vinegar to fruit is 1:3.

Wash the fruits and vegetables with tap or drinking water. Soak them in water for half an hour if they are to be eaten with peels like cabbage etc. and then wash with clean water.   

Always peel the fruits and vegetables like apple, mango, kiwi, pumpkin etc. before cutting them. 

Most of the remains of the contents of insecticides get removed by steam or cooking. Therefore put the green leafy vegetables in boiling water for a minute and then wash with running water.

Wash the vegetables like cabbage, spinach,cauliflower, broccoli in warm water containing 2% salt.

The carrot, brinjal etc could be washed in tamarind water to leech out the harmful chemicals from them.

Always clean the hands before and after washing the fruits and vegetables.

As far as possible, use the locally grown vegetables.

Always buy seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Prepare the Cleaning Solution

Prepare the solution of any one of the following and sprinkle on fruits and vegetables. Let it remain for 5-10 minutes and then wash with clean water.

1. Take a large spoon of lemon juice and add two large spoons of baking soda in it.  Instead of baking soda, two large spoons of vinegar could also be added.

2. Add a cup of white vinegar and a large spoon of baking soda with 8-10 drops of lemon oil in a cup of water. Prepare the mixture and clean the vegetables and fruits by sprinkling the contents on it. Wash with clean water to remove the taste of vinegar.

Scrub the vegetables and fruits like broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens, watermelon, potato, and berries in the mixture before washing in running water.

In this way you can save yourself and your family from the harmful effects associated with unclean vegetables.