【Introduction】Fruits are cancer-fighting treasures, and eating more of them is beneficial. However, if fruits are not washed clean before consumption, they can actually cause cancer.
Fruit Labels May Contain Toxins That Can Cause Cancer
The adhesives used for food labels in our country often contain toxic chemicals such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. If price labels are directly attached to the surface of fruits, vegetables, or cooked foods, the volatile benzene in the label can seep into the food, which is harmful to the human body after consumption. Fruit labels containing benzene—the part with the label is best not to be eaten.
A Clever Way to Wash Fruits: Use Salt
In addition to toxins from labels, pesticides remaining on the fruit itself must be washed clean. In daily life, some people use dishwashing detergent to wash fruits. If the tap water rinse is not thorough enough, it can easily lead to residual detergent accumulating in the stomach, which is harmful to health over time.
The editor suggests using salt to wash fruits. After wetting the fruit's surface with water, sprinkle a little salt on it. Then, hold the apple with both hands and rub it gently back and forth. The dirt on the surface will be cleaned off quickly. Then, rinse it with clean water, and it's safe to eat. The principle behind this cleaning method is that the granules of salt increase friction, and salt itself is a food.
Additionally, applying toothpaste to the surface of an apple as a cleaner is also a very effective method. Washing apples with hot water is also a great way to easily remove preservatives from the apple's surface. Fruits washed this way can be eaten with peace of mind.
How to Wash Grapes the Cleanest Way?
The surface of grapes has a white film and some dirt attached. If you rub too hard, you'll crush them; if you're too gentle, the dirt won't come off. What should you do?
Cleaning method: Put the grapes in water, then add two spoonfuls of flour or starch. Do not knead them hard; just gently toss them back and forth. Then, brush and rinse them in the water. Flour and starch are sticky and will carry away all the dirt.
How to Wash Peaches the Cleanest Way?
How to Wash Apples the Cleanest Way?
Many people like to eat apples with the skin on, but many preservation techniques leave chemical residues on the apple's surface that are difficult to wash off.
How to Wash Bayberries the Cleanest Way?
The surface of bayberries is uneven and can be damaged with a little force. Some people simply eat them without washing, but they may contain parasites, making it difficult to know where to start.
How to Wash Strawberries the Cleanest Way?
Strawberries are bright red, sweet and sour, and a fruit with excellent color, aroma, and taste. Unlike pears or apples, strawberries cannot be peeled. Their surface is uneven and the skin is very thin, so they can be damaged with a little force. Therefore, many people don't know how to wash them. Some eat them without washing, which often leads to illnesses such as diarrhea from eating unclean strawberries.
Washing strawberries should include the following steps:
1. First, rinse the strawberries under running tap water for several minutes to remove most of the bacteria, pesticides, and other pollutants from the surface. Note: Do not soak them in water first, as this may cause pesticides to dissolve in the water and then be re-absorbed by the strawberries, penetrating into the fruit;
2. Soak the strawberries in rice water (preferably the first batch of water used to rinse rice) and light salt water (add half a spoonful of salt to a basin of water) for 3 minutes. These two liquids have different effects: the alkaline rice water helps break down pesticides; the light salt water helps lift insects and insect eggs attached to the strawberry's surface, making them easier to wash away, and it also has a disinfecting effect;
3. Rinse again with running tap water to remove the rice water, salt water, and any remaining harmful substances;
4. Rinse once more with clean water (or cold boiled water).
Additionally, it should be noted: do not remove the strawberry tops before washing, as this could allow pesticides and pollutants to seep into the fruit through the "wound" during soaking, thus causing contamination.