Vegucation: Education provided in regards to healthy consumption of fruits and veggies
/Vegucation: Education provided in regards to healthy consumption of fruits and veggies
Do you sometimes get lost in information overload? What to eat, what not to eat? Organic vs non-organic? Do you just give up and say, who cares?
Well, relax, take a few deep breaths, and read on. If we implement small positive change, step by step, with the mind set of "this will take time, but I can do it", you will be amazed with your results.
Here are a few suggestions in regards to choosing and washing fruits and vegetables so you can receive the most nutritional value when you consume these delectable gems that Mother Nature produces for us...
First, when consuming vegetables, consume a rainbow of colors. The colors of fruits and veggies is the language that the plant kingdom uses to speaks to us. Each color represents a different group of healing compounds. An example would be in tumeric (bright yellow) we find the anti-inflammatory curcumin, cancer-preventing lycopene in tomatoes(red), and glucosinolates found in broccoli (green) which aids in detoxifying our bodies. Pretty amazing
Next, whenever possible buy organic fruits and vegetables. There is an abundance of evidence out there that when we consume pesticides they can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) and neurotoxic (toxin to our neurological system) for the humans who consume them. Yikes!
Yes, organic can be more expensive! But, if your health depends on it, won’t it be worth? To help you know which fruits and veggies are the most contaminated with pesticide residue the Environmental Working Group puts out a list called the Dirty Dozen (foods you must buy organic) and the Clean Fifteen(contains the least amount of pesticide residue). You can go https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php to review these lists. My absolute favorite place to purchase organic, reasonably prices fruits and veggies is at Trader Joe’s. If you have one near you, or even if you have to travel a bit, you’ll love it, and it will be worth your time and efforts.
When you do purchase non-organic fruits and veggies, do your body a big favor and wash them thoroughly before consuming. Don’t just rinse them, scrub them! Friction helps to break down and remove the contaminants on your produce. Another way to remove pesticides is to soak fruits and veggies in a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part white vinegar for 20 min. Scrub with veggie brush, and rinse well with cold water. This will remove some but not all of the pesticides. With organic produce, you do not have to be as particular, but still take the time to wash them in cold water before consuming.
Begin to incorporate these simple but important steps into your daily routine when buying and preparing your fruits and veggies. Next post, Nurturing Your Wellness will provide you with guidance and advice on how preparing fruits and veggies can make a big difference in the maintaining the greatest nutritional value of these foods.
Until then...Keep moving towards your optimal wellness…
I’m here to nurture you on your journey.
