10 Foods That Become Health Hazards When Washed – And 10 That Really Do Need A Scrub
To wash or not to wash. That is the question. No, we’re not talking about personal hygiene – you should always take care of that. And we sincerely hope that you do. We’re talking about food. Because there are certain things you should always wash before eating, and others that you most definitely shouldn’t. And it could be incredibly dangerous if you get it wrong. So here’s our roundup to help you out in both instances.
1. Lettuce
Lettuce is that leafy plant you eat when you’ve started your New Year’s resolutions and are doing the utmost to eat healthily. Or it’s that deplorable rabbit food you remove from the top of your hamburger in a diner somewhere. Whatever the scenario, many of us wash this leaf vegetable with water before serving it. And you’d be surprised to learn that sometimes we shouldn’t.
Take a bag of prewashed lettuce, for example. Jeff Nelkin, a food-safety guru and dietitian from Woodland Hills, California said, “In my experience, contamination is much more likely to happen in your own home than in a factory.” So in that instance, throw it straight into a bowl, add some chopped tomatoes, some chicken, crispy croutons and creamy Caesar dressing and you’re good to go.
Chicken is a very popular and lean meat. Well, it is until you or KFC add deep fried breadcrumbs to it. But an alarming amount of people around the world are making a massive and potentially dangerous error when preparing poultry, by washing it beforehand with water. Are you one of them?
Marianna Gravely, a spokeswoman for the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA), told BuzzFeed Food that washing chicken can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter. Instead, just cook it thoroughly at a heat of at least 165°F for as long as is necessary and ensure the juices run clear before eating.
