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Some people diligently wash their produce, while others might not bother at all. If you tend to avoid cooking or simply forget this step, you might fall into the second group. But washing your fruits and veggies at home isn't just an old habit; as Popular Mechanics points out, rinsing your produce well could be the key to avoiding illness and ensuring a nutritious meal instead of one that makes you sick.
Produce is a well-known source of norovirus, a foodborne virus that causes symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. While you can’t tell if your lettuce has harmful bacteria just by looking at it, rinsing with tap water can reduce the risk. USA Today reports that washing your produce can remove up to 90% of pathogens left from the growing, harvesting, and shipping process. It’s also a good way to wash off any unwanted dirt and debris.
Washing your fruits and vegetables is certainly better than eating them directly from the fridge, but keep in mind that it’s not a guaranteed safeguard against foodborne illnesses. Water won’t eliminate all the microbes on your food, and even a thorough rinse may not make produce contaminated with dangerous bacteria like E. coli safe to consume. Still, the potential benefits of including fresh produce in your diet outweigh the risks.
When preparing vegetables for dinner, the safest method is to rinse them under cold water, gently scrubbing them in a bowl starting with the cleanest produce and moving to the dirtier items. Afterward, give everything a final rinse before transferring it to the cutting board. Peeling the outer layers and cooking your produce when possible is also a helpful way to eliminate or reduce harmful bacteria.
