Storage of fruits and vegetables

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Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables in times of fashion for healthy eating has become the norm. However, not many of us know that proper storage of these gifts of nature can affect their shelf life or the nutrients they contain.

Why are fruits and vegetables so important?

We all know about the health-promoting properties of fruit and vegetables. Thanks to fruit and vegetables we provide our body with essential vitamins, we prevent diseases, we slow down the ageing process and we improve our well-being. This is why the World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day.

Shopping rationally

Most of us try to put this recommendation into practice. To do so, we shop several days ahead, completely forgetting that vegetables and fruit only stay fresh for a short time. Therefore, it is worth changing this and buying them regularly, from reliable suppliers and in small quantities.

Although we will have to spend more time on it, but we will have a guarantee of quality, freshness and savings. Thanks to this definitely less products will end up in the trash because of old age or spoilage. It is also worth remembering that some stale vegetables and fruits are perfect for preserves, pickles and juices, and some of them can be successfully frozen

The key to nutritional survival

The incentive to eat fruits and vegetables is their freshness, color, flavor and firmness. When they lose one of these qualities, we reach for them reluctantly. Often we are the culprits of this state of affairs. We forget that the key to the survival of the nutritional values contained in vegetables and fruit is access to fresh air

Therefore, the basic activity immediately after purchase should be unpacking them from plastic or foil and placing in a shady, cool place. It is the light and temperature that negatively affect the vitamins contained in vegetables and fruit, they can also be the cause of the appearance of bacteria and mold.

Is the refrigerator a good place?

The answer is: it depends. For exotic fruits, which do not like moisture, the optimal storage temperature will be 16 degrees Celsius. Bananas, mangoes, lemons, oranges, avocados and pineapples like heat, so the best place for them will be a platter on a windowsill. It is quite different in the case of Polish vegetables, i.e. potatoes, onions and garlic – the best conditions for storing them are an airy basket in a cool, dark room.

All other vegetables and fruits should be placed in the fridge, especially when they are already sealed. Nutritionists advise that their permanent storage place is the bottom shelf lined with paper towels, which will absorb excess moisture and prolong the freshness of the products.

It is also worth remembering that each species should be stored separately, because, for example, contact of green vegetables with tomato / pear will cause them to turn yellow, and carrots accompanied by potatoes / apples will become bitter. It is a shameful mistake to keep vegetables and fruits in extra containers – condensing steam can lead to the growth of fungi and, as a result, accelerate rotting.

Read also: https://lovihomi.com/kitchen-storage-tips/

Main photo: Vie Studio/pexels.com

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