Should You Be Washing All Your Food?
By Sara Butler
Some people are diligent about washing food they buy before they eat it – and that’s a good attitude to have. You never know what might be lurking on the surface, after all. But there are some foods that are neglected in the washing department for one reason or another. Here are a few foods you may not be washing, but should be!
Avocado, Melons and Citrus Fruit
You don't eat the skin from these foods, so you don’t need to wash them – right? Well, it turns out you really should be giving them a good rinse before you eat them. Anything on the surface of these foods will mingle with the insides as soon as you cut them open. That means any bacteria, dirt or other mysterious substance will get on the part you want to eat.
Before you start slicing, give the skin a good wash!
Organic Berries
Some people think that if you buy organic then there’s no need to rinse. While organic foods are grown without pesticides, that does not mean they should get a free pass on the wash. Bacteria you don’t want to eat can still live on the berries, so wash them and pat them dry before you eat them.
Canned Drinks
Grabbing a soda or an energy drink from the refrigerated section and cracking it open is the approach most people take, but you really should be giving the top of the can a good rinse before you open it and drink from it. The tops of these cans are exposed to a lot of things in transit to the store, so wipe them down with a wet paper towel before you take a sip, or do one better and pour it into a clean glass first.
Canned Goods (and Jarred Too!)
You may not be putting your lips to the tops of cans and jars, but that doesn’t mean that once you crack those suckers open whatever was on top can't get in the food you’re about to eat. All you have to do is give the lids a wipe down or wash before you open them, and be sure to wash your can opener often, too.
How many of these foods have you actually been washing before you eat them? Well, there’s no time like the present to start! You may as well just start washing everything before eating it!
