In order to fully utilize the nutritional potential of fruits and vegetables, it is advisable to eliminate any potential contamination. Therefore washing and brushing are essential. It is best to practice fine peeling and paring, because the peel of fruits and vegetables is rich in minerals and peel. vitamins.
wash
All fresh fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly cleaned with potable water (without soap or bleach), even if there are no traces of soil. Thus they are freed from dust, from part of Germs There are pesticide residues on its surface.
Even fruits and vegetables that don’t have the skin or peel to be eaten should be rinsed, as the meat can become contaminated while cutting.
Fruits and vegetables should not be left to soak for a long time, especially if they are cut, because some salts metal and vitamins It dissolves in soaking water.
some advices :
- For lettuce or cabbage, remove the outer leaves before rubbing them gently under running water to get any particles out of the soil.
- few drops Vinegar added to the soaking water will dislodge slugs and midges from salads in your garden.
- Fruits and vegetables with a hard surface, such as watermelon, potatoes, or carrots, can be greased.
| Summer picking: dangers of gourmet pleasure! |
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| After picking cranberries, strawberries, dandelions or mushrooms, wash the harvested produce well. Thus, you will avoid the risk of catching a parasitic infection,echinococcosis It is transmitted by the urine of foxes and rodents. Each year, about twenty new cases are announced in France, mainly in Franche-Comté, Haute-Savoie and Massif Central. |
peeling
The peel of fresh fruits and vegetables is especially rich in minerals, vitamins and flavonoids (antioxidants), as does the part of the meat below the surface. It also contains insoluble fiber, which irritates the digestive system if consumed in excessive amounts. Peeling prevents the ingestion of these fibers and pesticide residues on the surface of the plants. Unfortunately, it also removes a lot of nutrients, especially when the peels are thick (made with a knife). Losses can then be as high as 25%.
Some tips to maintain the nutritional richness of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Use a thrifty knife that allows you to get a smooth peeling;
- do not peel early vegetables (carrots, turnips, potatoes), brush them, scrape them with a knife or an abrasive sponge;
- peel the zucchini, eggplant and cucumber, leaving part of their peel (this gives decorative stripes);
- Consume the skin, after washing it well whenever possible apples, pears, grapes, early greens, radishes or tomatoes, among others.