naturally yours…. or is it?

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” they say. What if it’s the apple that takes u to the doctor? Highly unlikely you might think. My advice – Think again! Health consultants highly recommend fruits and salads in their prescriptions and we take the best advantage of the availability of the range of variety in the markets.

Ever given a thought before buying or eating that how are you getting fresh apples of Himachal in Mumbai and Oranges of Nagpur in Delhi? Fresh peas of Kinnaur in Banglore and coconut from Kerala in Chandigarh? Ripe fruits are not suitable to carry and distribute as they get rotten. So traders pick unripe fruits and use certain methods to increase their shelf life. For many years, ethylene had been used as a fruit ripening agent, but nowadays ethane, calcium carbide and ethephon are commonly used for faster ripening. Inappropriate use and long term exposure of these chemicals to ripen fruits is associated with many health hazards. Here is something that you can do to avoid exposure to such chemicals                             Wash your fruits and vegetables in a sink full of water in which a tablespoon of salt is added with a lime squeezed in it. Allow the fruits to float in the sink for 5-7 minutes before rinsing them with plain water and then draining them in a colander. Allow to dry and then consume. While selecting fruits, look for nail marks, punctures or powdered applications on the fruits. Do not pick fruits with any of the above signs. Buy produce closer to where it is grown– ‘Sabzi Mandi’ style Buy Seasonal fruits and vegetables. Grow your own – Wondering how? – Ask me!!!