Fruits and veggies - how do you wash them?

[Marlena]

I am new to juicing and I wonder what is the best way to really clean the fruits and veggies. Sometimes I use hot water and vinegar, sometimes I use a wash I got at the health food store. My nutritionist is concerned I'll get something if they're not adequately cleaned. I try to use organic, but it's too far to go except occasionally.

 

[Justanothercp]

I'm afraid I may not be much help. I juice every morning and have never had a problem. Most of the fruits and veggies are organic and I just wash them with tapwater.

 

[autumn_rose]

Hi, there. I study nutrition and physical training. A good way to clean non-organic produce is the vinegar solution you've mentioned, at least it's the most conventional and easiest means of doing so. A better way, however, is to use powdered activated charcoal. It is what is used it water filtration systems, and used for a variety of other things, because it absorbs toxins. You would fill your sink with water and add in your produce, plus two table spoons of activated charcoal powder. Leave it soak for 20 minutes, or longer if you like, then drain and rinse everything with clean water. The activated charcoal will absorb any pesticides, etc, on the produce.

Also, have you heard of the 'dirty dozen' produce? It's the produce that has the most exposure to chemicals, thus making it more important to buy them organic, or take extra precautions in cleansing them. The dirty dozen of fruits and veggies include: apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, bell peppers (all colors), nectarines, cucumbers, tomatoes, and potatoes. All of these things consistently have more contact with chemical pesticides and such. With that said, the list may change over time, so recheck periodically. I hope this helps! -Autumn

 

[Marlena]

Thanks, both of you. I do try to avoid the dirty dozen and I'll look for the charcoal - where would I get it? Sometime this spring, an organic year round market is opening in town and I've joined an organic CSA, so that will be better.

 

[autumn_rose]

Since I'm not familiar with your location, I would suggest ordering the charcoal powder online. Here's a link to one on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Activated-Cha...563&sr=8-1&keywords=activated+charcoal+powder

Feel free to inbox me here, or on YouTube (that would reach me better) if you have questions. I'll be doing a video soon on the organic/non organic subject. Definitely if you can get organic locally grown, that's the way to go. Or start learning to grow yourself, at least seasonally (growing what you can during the seasons that you can).

-Autumn

 

[Marlena]

I do have a small garden where I can grow things I can't get elsewhwere, like really tiny Bok choy. Thanks for the charcoal tip. m

 

[SmellyMelly]

I am new to juicing and I wonder what is the best way to really clean the fruits and veggies. Sometimes I use hot water and vinegar, sometimes I use a wash I got at the health food store. My nutritionist is concerned I'll get something if they're not adequately cleaned. I try to use organic, but it's too far to go except occasionally.

Organic or not, you still need to wash them. I think hot water and vinegar is a little on the paranoid side! :ybiggrin: But if it makes you happy then continue on. I have seen those veggie washes but never used them.

For something like kale leaves, I fill the sink with cold water, put the leaves in for a minute, then rub each leaf under a flowing tap. Very quick.

Don't soak for more than a minute otherwise nutrients can start to leech out. You want these nutrients in your glass of juice - not in the sink!

For something like a carrot, I just rub my hand up and down it, whilst holding it under a flowing tap. Again very quickly. The carrots I buy are organic and are sold in a packet. They are pretty clean to begin with. But I give them a quick rinse anyway.

Supermarkets have pretty clean produce. All you are really doing is wiping off other peoples handling of said produce.

Don't use hot water; cold is fine.

I have never in 45 years "got something" from fruit and veggies.

 

[Axelfl3333]

This may sound controversial but I,ve watched 2 documenteries recently with attached studies that prove that tinned and frozen veggies are more nutritious than unfrozen mainly because there frozen almost immediately there picked and have no time to degrade,also mentioned that tinned tomatoes have more of the caritins and free radicals because there are tinned within hours of being picked and don,t spend 2 or 3 days being shipped.

 

[Marlena]

To an extent that is true, but if you want organic, for whatever reason, fresh is what is available where I live. Usually I go to a farmers' market.

 

[SmellyMelly]

This may sound controversial

It also sounds disgusting! You can hardly put tinned veggies through a juicer now can you! :ylol2:

 

[Nym]

This may sound controversial but I,ve watched 2 documenteries recently with attached studies that prove that tinned and frozen veggies are more nutritious than unfrozen mainly because there frozen almost immediately there picked and have no time to degrade,also mentioned that tinned tomatoes have more of the caritins and free radicals because there are tinned within hours of being picked and don,t spend 2 or 3 days being shipped.

And all highly acidic. Was that doco produced by a supermarket? :lol:

 

[SmellyMelly]

I have just had an idea to put your mind more at rest. Only purchase produce that has been grown or packed in more advanced countries that have proper food production procedures and standards.

Its not the actually veggie that "gives you something" it is the method of how that veggie was grown or handled upon packing.

There is a frozen berry recall occurring in Australia at present. Hepatitis A comes from poor hygiene. The berries were handled and packed in China.

From my travels in China, South America and Asia (whilst the people there are lovely), they are certainly not renowned for hand-washing after using the toilet. I found this prevalent in both lower and higher social economic groups.

China was also in the news a few years ago for growing veggies in untreated human sewerage. And putting melamine in their milk supply.

Personally I avoid all produce grown or packed in these sort of developing countries, as often the standards are lacking.

And I prefer to support home grown.

 

[Axelfl3333]

No they weren't,t produced by a supermarketbut if you google it you,lol find its factual but I agree that home produced is best be it organic or non.i wish I had an allotment as homegrown is the best by a mile.

 

[Marlena]

Have you tried container gardening? My house is on quite literally 3 inches of poor topsoil over gravel and I do all my gardening in containers. Last summer I had carrots, beets, tomatoes, wax beans, bok choy, lettuce, radishes, potatoes, spinach, herbs, and swiss chard. Also some rhubarb. All in a space about 8' by 10'. I started with one container and just kept adding to them. There are only 2 of us, so we don't need a huge amount.

 

[Axelfl3333]

i,ve tried and still use topsy turvy planters hang them from the fence great for tomatoes and strawberries/

 

[Nancye50]

What else can you plant in topsy turvy planters? I can't eat many tomatoes and definitely can't eat strawberries. I want to do some containers this summer. We have lots of bunnies around.

 

[Marlena]

cukes, summer squash, tomatillos, maybe some other stuff. Try them out!

 

[Axelfl3333]

theres lots of plants and flowers do well in them and they need very little attention as well which is good as i,m like domestos kills 99%of all known plants

 

[indyjps]

I wash my apples, peppers, cucumbers, anything with a skin with diluted dish soap. Its works for my dishes, gets off all the wax, pesticides, handling scum.