Contents
Modern technologies make it possible to improve and increase the yields of vegetables and fruits. And, unfortunately, it cannot do without nitrates. Poisoning with pesticides is not uncommon, so we diligently bypass glossy products, giving preference to homemade “grandmother” crops. But this is not a guarantee of the absence of chemistry absorbed from fertilizers in them.
Unfortunately, the craze for poisons affects the state of the environment – the composition of soil and water changes. And even a natural vegetable or fruit that has been faithfully grown with care may not be the safest on your plate.
What will say about the presence of nitrates in foods
– Lack of sweetness in watermelon or melon.
– Unripe seeds of watermelon and melon.
– Neutral taste for cucumbers and melons.
– The veins in the pulp are too obvious.
Useful Tips
It is best to buy products grown outdoors, as greenhouse vegetables and fruits are limited in sunlight and are low in vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is greenhouse fruits that are most often treated with pesticides and fertilized with growth stimulants.
Foreign vegetables and fruits contain preservatives, because it is easier to bring them safe and sound. Therefore, eat foods that are seasonally ripe.
The use of pesticidal vegetables and fruits is especially dangerous for children – they have not yet fully formed a mucous membrane that filters harmful substances at the initial stage, and the digestive system in order to digest junk food and remove all toxins from the body.
Nitrates tend to accumulate. Therefore, after a single use of contaminated foods, most likely, no reaction will follow. But if there are chemicals constantly, then over time, chronic diseases of the internal organs develop – the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory system, carcinogens are formed in the body, which leads to oxygen starvation of tissues and cells.
Unnaturally large vegetables and fruits contain the most nitrates. Poisons are especially absorbed by watermelons, melons, cabbage, potatoes, parsley, dill, radish, lettuce, sorrel, spinach, rhubarb, carrots, celery, beets. Stay away from them.
How to get rid of nitrates
It will not be possible to completely eliminate nitrates from vegetables and fruits, but you can significantly reduce their amount as follows:
– You need to thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits before cooking, it is advisable to cut off the top layer, and in potatoes and carrots – green unripe areas.
– You can soak vegetables or fruits in cold water for 15-20 minutes, this is especially effective for greens. Cut large fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces.
– Early vegetables and fruits contain especially a lot of pesticides – they should get rid of the peel, despite the loss of a significant part of the vitamins.
– During heat treatment, most of the nitrates are removed, but it is not recommended to use the broth – especially the vegetable broth. Other cooking methods – frying, steaming, baking – are not as effective at removing nitrates.
– Before eating a vegetable or fruit meal, eat vitamin C – it inhibits the formation of nitrosamines in the body.
– Lemon or pomegranate juice detoxifies the nitrates in the salad.
– Consume the prepared meal immediately. When the temperature changes (from the refrigerator to a hot pan), nitrates turn into especially dangerous compounds – nitrites.
Nitrate Neutralizer Recipe
The most common way to neutralize nitrates in a product is to soak vegetables or fruits in a bowl of water, to which the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of sea salt are added. Such water can wash away pesticide deposits if it is not possible to peel off the skin.