A New Way To Eat Healthy and Save Your Life
Every so often we are told to avoid certain foods because they can cause high cholesterol levels, have too much salt or for some other health reason. These warnings usually come from researchers or organizations dedicated to having people eat healthy. Sadly, it is what healthy food experts don't tell you about certain edibles that can actually kill you. Either they don't know, which I believe to be unlikely, or they are more interested in preserving the sales of potentially dangerous foods regardless of the risk.
For the past couple of decades there has been a significant increase in food contamination occurrences. Certain foods have caused illness and even death because of listeria, e coli and other contaminants. It's unwise to ignore this situation and just continue eating the way people did twenty or more years ago. Why? Because the food production and processing landscape has changed.
Fresh salads are delicious and dangerous! There have been a number of listeria outbreaks involving lettuce and other items used in salads. You can't just wash it off because the contamination is on the inside, sort of speak. Growers hire pickers who come from third world Nations where water supplies have been contaminated for a long time. Although the pickers have built up a resistance to these contaminants, most Americans have no such protection.
When migrant workers relieve themselves in crop areas the contaminants are released into the soil and end up being absorbed by the crops. Fertilizer made from animal manure may also be a cause. Sadly, any uncooked veggies pose a threat. Some people throw salad materials in the microwave for a minute claiming that nuking them kills the bacteria. Well, the scientific jury is still out on that method. Microwaves don't kill bacteria, heat does. You would have to place uncooked veggies in on high for 2 minutes to be safe. Or, give your food the cold shoulder...
Better to place fresh veggies and fruit in the freezer overnight. Bacteria doesn't grow or survive well in freezing temperatures. Some say refrigerating them is enough, but I would not bet my life on that. Besides leafy vegetables, melons and sprouts are most likely to be infected with listeria. Your safest move is to purchase fruit and veggies that you cook. Salmonella is a problem that usually involves raw eggs, so cook them fully. E coli shows up frequently in uncooked meat, deli meat, hot dogs and other processed, non-frozen foods. Again, most workers in food processing plants are from third world Nations. Freeze or heat that stuff before you eat it.
Listeria recently showed up in flour, so no more licking the spoon or bowl when you bake. Wear throw away gloves when you handle raw flour and eggs. Use throw away cloths instead of sponges to wipe down counters and clean food processors. Cook meats fully, wear gloves during preparation and keep meats away from your veggies. Wash your hands before you switch from handling one type of food to handling another.
Take food processors apart and run the washable bowls and parts through your dishwasher after use. Or, if you are using it for several different items during cooking, rinse with extremely hot water making sure all previous food particles are removed. Finally, check food recalls and warnings frequently online at https://cknell.tripod.com/dr/a/rssfood.html
