In modern life, vegetables can come into contact with many impurities: soil dust, worm eggs, bacteria, pesticides... If not cleaned properly, consumers can accidentally put toxins into the body through their diet.
According to Dr. Philip Tierno, a microbiologist at New York University (USA): More than 20% of food poisoning cases come from raw vegetables that are not thoroughly washed. Washing vegetables is not only a basic cleaning step but also a health barrier".
Here are 4 simple but highly effective tips for washing vegetables:
Soak vegetables in diluted salt water for 510 minutes
How to make: Mix 1 tablespoon (5g) of salt in 1 liter of water, steep the vegetables before rinsing.
Effects: Salt has a mild disinfection effect, supporting the separation of worm eggs, microorganisms and reducing the amount of pesticides that stick to the outside.
Note: Do not soak for too long because vegetables can lose water-soluble vitamins such as C, B.
Wash under running water instead of steaming
How to do: After soaking, discharge the vegetables under the running water for 12 minutes, using your hand to gently massage the soil between the leaves.
Effectiveness: Continuous running water helps to ward off bacteria and impurities better than soaking in standing water - where bacteria can continue to stick to vegetables.
Use white vinegar or rice water
How to make: Dilute 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 liter of water, or take advantage of the rice water for a second time to soak the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
Effectiveness: The mild acid in vinegar helps neutralize some chemicals, while rice water has the ability to absorb dirt, making vegetables cleaner and safer.
Tips: Only use vinegar with leafy vegetables such as mustard and cauliflower, do not use it with coriander or herbs because they are easily affected by odor.
Separate vegetables before washing
How to make: For vegetables such as lettuce, mustard greens, and herbs - separate each leaf to thoroughly wash each side.
Effectiveness: Many pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli are often hidden in leafy or vegetable stems. Separating vegetables helps access difficult places to clean, avoiding leftovers.
