Summer is prime time for produce -- all your local farmers' markets are overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables. So take advantage of this fresh produce while the getting is good!
Fresh is Best
Decades of shopping at massive, overly stocked supermarkets has severed our connection to our food. For instance, have you ever wondered how many miles that limp head of lettuce has traveled? For your health and well-being, there is nothing better than fresh, whole, organic foods direct from your local farmers' market. Farm-fresh produce comes directly from the source to your table, leaving little time in between for nutrients to be lost. Many of the fruits and vegetables at your supermarket have been picked weeks or even months before they make their way onto the shelf. These items are preserved by nitrogen or other artificial means that make them appear fresh. However, these foods that have been treated with pesticides and artificial fertilizers are less desirable from a health perspective than foods grown organically.
Lucky for us, farmers' markets are now commonplace in most big cities. The growth of health food stores nationwide is also a bonanza for health-conscious consumers. However, not all produce in the health food store is organic, so be sure to read the label. There are also delivery services popping up that bring organic farm produce directly to your door. Always insist on fresh, organic, unprocessed foods over refined, chemicals-added, or preservative-laden ones.
When Organic Isn't Possible
When organic isn't possible, the following methods will help you remove most of the pesticides, fungicides, and wax from your produce:
Give your food a bath. The surface pesticides and residues of chemicals can be washed off with appropriate methods. I soak veggies and fruits in a large pot of cold water for 5 minutes, add a tablespoon of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, then use a colander to rinse under running water for several minutes. You can also use a small amount of dishwashing liquid in water and rinse well. There are also special vegetable washing liquids you can buy. For fragile produce that shouldn't be scrubbed, simply soak it in salt and vinegar for 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
Peel the pesticides off the outer layer of fruits and vegetables. Produce with the lowest amounts of pesticide residue include hard-skinned fruits and veggies such as avocados, bananas, citrus, corn, melons, pineapples, and squash. Produce with the highest residue levels include many foods that can be peeled: cucumbers, peaches, plums, and zucchini. However, some produce is best eaten only when it is organic, such as celery, cherries, grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes. The downside to peeling is that you lose some of the valuable nutrients found in the skins.
These processes will remove the external layer of surface residues, but unfortunately will not get rid of chemicals that are absorbed from the soil during the growing period. So for top quality, eat organic as much as possible.
I hope you reap all the rewards from locally grown fresh produce! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
Fresh is Best
Decades of shopping at massive, overly stocked supermarkets has severed our connection to our food. For instance, have you ever wondered how many miles that limp head of lettuce has traveled? For your health and well-being, there is nothing better than fresh, whole, organic foods direct from your local farmers' market. Farm-fresh produce comes directly from the source to your table, leaving little time in between for nutrients to be lost. Many of the fruits and vegetables at your supermarket have been picked weeks or even months before they make their way onto the shelf. These items are preserved by nitrogen or other artificial means that make them appear fresh. However, these foods that have been treated with pesticides and artificial fertilizers are less desirable from a health perspective than foods grown organically.
Lucky for us, farmers' markets are now commonplace in most big cities. The growth of health food stores nationwide is also a bonanza for health-conscious consumers. However, not all produce in the health food store is organic, so be sure to read the label. There are also delivery services popping up that bring organic farm produce directly to your door. Always insist on fresh, organic, unprocessed foods over refined, chemicals-added, or preservative-laden ones.
When Organic Isn't Possible
When organic isn't possible, the following methods will help you remove most of the pesticides, fungicides, and wax from your produce:
Give your food a bath. The surface pesticides and residues of chemicals can be washed off with appropriate methods. I soak veggies and fruits in a large pot of cold water for 5 minutes, add a tablespoon of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, then use a colander to rinse under running water for several minutes. You can also use a small amount of dishwashing liquid in water and rinse well. There are also special vegetable washing liquids you can buy. For fragile produce that shouldn't be scrubbed, simply soak it in salt and vinegar for 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
Peel the pesticides off the outer layer of fruits and vegetables. Produce with the lowest amounts of pesticide residue include hard-skinned fruits and veggies such as avocados, bananas, citrus, corn, melons, pineapples, and squash. Produce with the highest residue levels include many foods that can be peeled: cucumbers, peaches, plums, and zucchini. However, some produce is best eaten only when it is organic, such as celery, cherries, grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes. The downside to peeling is that you lose some of the valuable nutrients found in the skins.
These processes will remove the external layer of surface residues, but unfortunately will not get rid of chemicals that are absorbed from the soil during the growing period. So for top quality, eat organic as much as possible.
I hope you reap all the rewards from locally grown fresh produce! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
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To learn more about Dr. Mao and other natural health tips, go to askdrmao.com.
To purchase Dr. Mao's book, "Secrets of Longevity," click here.
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