With the advent of spring, the first fruits appear on store shelves. As a rule, they are all grown in greenhouse conditions and literally crammed with nitrates. Therefore, many people who do not want to risk the health of their families are interested in whether to buy such products.
How to choose vegetables and fruits in the spring?
Almost all products decorating market stalls at first glance seem juicy and ripe. But, unfortunately, most of it does not meet the expectations of consumers. Despite the beautiful appearance, spring fruits taste more like fodder grass. This is due to the extremely low content of aromatic substances and sugar necessary for taste. That is why you need to be very careful about the choice of such products.
Many experts recommend buying fruits in spring. only in large retail chains. As a rule, such supermarkets deal with trusted suppliers whose products are of high quality. In addition, before going to the shelves, it is subjected to a special check for the content of nitrates and other harmful substances.
Choosing fruits in the spring, special attention must be paid to their appearance. The fruits should not have any visible damage, because it is in the spoiled products that the rapid development and reproduction of pathogenic microbes occurs, often causing serious poisoning. Do not buy too bright fruits. This color may indicate a high chemical content.
Why are these fruits dangerous?
Almost all beautiful fruits in spring contain an increased concentration of nitrates. Therefore, the regular use of such fruits often causes allergic reactions, malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland. In addition, nitrates accumulating in the body provoke severe intoxication.
The most dangerous fruit is the one that contains nitrites produced during storage and cooking of fruits. An increased content of these substances can cause the development of stomach cancer, oxygen starvation, disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous system.
Wrongly picked fruits in the spring often cause diarrhea. As a rule, intestinal irritation is caused by low carbohydrate content and excess fiber. As for vegetables and fresh herbs, there may be an excess of pathogenic bacteria that cause serious harm to human health.
How are overseas products processed?
As a rule, all imported fruits and vegetables must be processed to prevent spoilage. Basically, the fruits are sprayed with a product containing paraffin, which blocks the access of oxygen into the product, thus preserving it. Without such processing, many fruits, including plums, peaches and grapes, will not lie on the counter for more than seven days. All imported products are subject to mandatory spraying immediately after harvest. After that, the fruits are treated with antibiotics that kill all pathogenic microflora, leading to damage to the crop. Sometimes products are also subjected to antifungal treatment, which protects the fruits from the possible appearance of mold. Some fruits are sprayed repeatedly. The first time this happens immediately after collection, and the second - after delivery to retail chains. For example, to speed up the ripening of bananas, they are treated with a mixture of ethylene and nitrogen. Fruits coated with this composition after a few hours turn from green to ripe yellow fruits. Some imported berries are delivered to us in airtight packaging, filled with special gas, which prevents their damage.
How to use imported fruits?
Of course, completely get rid of the harmful chemicals that spring fruits are rich in, almost unrealistic. But by following a few simple recommendations, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from possible consequences. Each purchased fruit or vegetable must be thoroughly cleaned, because it is in the peel that the bulk of the chemicals accumulate. Fruits that cannot be peeled are recommended to be thoroughly washed in hot water with soap or baking soda. After peeling, imported cabbage or potatoes should preferably be soaked in warm water for half an hour. This will help rid the vegetables of the pesticides and insecticides they contain. Also, citrus fruits need a thorough wash, the peel of which is often rubbed with all kinds of food colors.
How to clean spring greens from nitrates?
To prevent the development and reproduction of bacteria in spring salads, it is recommended to spray them with lemon juice. It is better not to clean the half-eaten salad in the refrigerator, but immediately send it to the bin. Of course, this is not too economical, but it is safe for health. Total savings often lead to general poisoning by a salad of fresh spring vegetables in the refrigerator. Citrus fruits deserve a more favorable attitude, which even in the spring months retain a sufficient amount of vitamins. But tangerines and oranges are best processed immediately into juice.
How to distinguish nitrate vegetables from ordinary ones?
To avoid possible poisoning after eating spring fruits, you need to learn to distinguish between healthy and nitrate products in appearance. So, when choosing cucumbers, special attention should be paid to their peel. She should not be too fat. Pimples on a skin of nitrate cucumber are easily erased by fingers. A dark green vegetable with elastic coarse spikes probably contains nitrates. When choosing a cabbage, it is recommended to carefully look at its leaves. In a safe vegetable, they will be dense and not very thick at the base.
What can replace fresh spring fruits?
Frozen berries will be a great alternative to nitrate spring vegetables and fruits. Such fruits retain almost all useful substances and do not lose them during storage. They must be eaten immediately after thawing. Dried fruits can be an equally useful substitute. Especially nutritious and valuable are apricots and dried apricots. They can be eaten not only in the spring, but also throughout the whole year.
Some people are sure that the reserves of canned compotes and juices contain all the same vitamins and nutrients as in fresh fruits. But in fact, this is not entirely true. Vitamins are practically not stored in canned drinks, so they become a common way to quench your thirst.
How to recognize the tricks of the sellers?
If the buyer has any doubts about the quality and freshness of the goods offered, he has the right to request documentation confirming the conformity of the products with the established standards. As a rule, the bulk of the seller does not have such papers, so the consumer has to determine the freshness of vegetables and fruits solely by their appearance. So, sticky to the touch fruits were treated with diphenyl or paraffin. Before use, it is recommended to thoroughly wash and peel them. Too strong tomatoes with white veins on the cut, most likely, were grown using harmful chemicals. Green spots on the potato indicate that the tubers contain toxic solidine, which can cause severe poisoning.