Wash What You Eat!

Food needs to be clean to be healthy.

Fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone to many healthy diets. They provide necessary nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins that are needed at all age stages and for that reason it’s necessary to get in several servings a day. However, although the benefits of fruits and vegetables are numerous, it is very important to make sure that they are thoroughly cleaned before consumption.

Reasons to Wash

Using a fruit and vegetable wash is important.

Washing fruits and vegetables before we eat them is what most of us have been taught to do from a young age. However, that doesn't mean we always do it. Sometimes we rely on packaging that tells us our vegetables were already prewashed, or else we think that the mist of water our vegetables got in the store counts as a ‘wash.’ But stop and imagine for a second how many hands have touched and picked up the fruits and vegetables that are now on your counter before you brought them home. Lots! People don't always wash their hands and as a result the spread of bacteria and germs gets passed on. Pesticides and dirt are also things that can linger on fruits and vegetables. In fact, the FDA encourages rinsing off fruits and vegetables well before consuming them to avoid food-borne illnesses. How, then, should we wash our produce?

Finding the Right Fruit and Vegetable Wash

Many washes are available online, but which is best?

A quick Google search will bring up countless fruit and vegetable washes for sale. Not all products, however, are created equal, so purchasing one from a reliable and trusted company is your best bet. ATTITUDE is happy to provide families with a fruit and vegetable wash in a convenient spray bottle that is easy to use for everyone. It can either be sprayed directly onto fruit and vegetables and easily wiped or rinsed off, or else it can be sprayed into a basin of water for washing smaller fruits, leafy greens, or other hard to wash produce. Not only is this product natural, but it also effectively removes pesticides, dirt and germs.

For Those Who Like to DIY

Create your own spray at home.

If you are caught without a pre-mixed spray at home, you can also make your own using a few simple household products. White vinegar mixed with water has long been a cleaning staple in many people’s homes. Lemon juice or grapefruit juice can also be added to this mix to have a fresh and effective wash that smells nice. A different formula for an equally effective wash is to mix a little bit of baking soda with water. Whichever you choose to try, just make sure you are thoroughly spraying and soaking your fruits and vegetables before rinsing them off.

Rinsing with Water

Why can't I just run them under hot water?

Water by itself is often ineffective against much of the bacteria that lingers on the surface of fruits and vegetables. It may eliminate some of the dirt, but that's about it. When we wash our hands, we are told to use soap and water to get them clean. The same rule applies for our produce – using just water alone is not safe enough for what we eat.

Make Your Food Safe

Using fruit and vegetable washes is a small effort for a big outcome.

Fruits and vegetables keep us healthy. However, these health benefits are negated when you eat produce that isn’t clean due to bacteria or pesticide residue. Washing your food with a fruit and vegetable wash, therefore, is necessary to prevent food-related illnesses. Whether it’s one you buy or one you make at home, be sure to use it thoroughly to help keep you and your family safe.