How thorough do you wash the vegetables?

[Starkiwi26]

Dear all mums,
I always wonder how thorough shall I wash the vegetables? Hope you can share your way please.
I guess the vegetables nowadays are grew with less or no pesticide, so washing the vegetables should really be to wash away any dusk and dirt? Do I have to clean thoroughly or flushing the vegetables with some water will do?
How about the cabbages? Do I have to wash them at all? I normally throw away 2-3 outside leaves, but the cabbage's inside looks so fresh and clean.
Thanks.

[img]www.plantwhatwhen.com/images/cabbage-tight.jpg[/img]

[Blondie1984]

I don't wash them at all unless there is obvious dirt on them - eg muddy lettuce leek or cabbage leaves or muddy carrots or potatoes - and that's only because I don't peel my carrots - and mud gets stuck in the potato peeler. If mushrooms are a bit dusty then I wipe them but would never wash them as they absorb water

I think we're all too worried about cleanliness these days - a bit of dirt is good for your gut microbiome

[SpoonBlender]

Barely. I'll rinse anything that seems actually grubby but otherwise won't bother.

[Shev1996]

I give them a rub to remove anything obvious, but I trust cooking them will remove anything else

[ChicChicChicChiclana]

I wash all fruit and vegetables, including pre-washed bags of salad. I have a salad spinner that gets used every day. With cabbage I would prepare it (slice, shred, break off individual leaves - whatever) tip into the basket of the salad spinner, wash under cold running water and then spin it gently to get excess water off. Infact, most meals I make, my first step of preparation is to wash all the veg or fruit I'll be using so that I'm not going back and forth to the sink all the time.

[NewInTown08]

I wash all vegetables and fruits. This at least washes away some of the pesticides and any dirt.
The cabbage inside is not fresh and clean, in fact dirtier than other vegetables as it's been sprayed repeatedly as its grown, think about a spray on each layer. As Pp stated, cut, wash, and maybe dry in salad spinner.
The salads that states "pre-washed" should be washed as well, I think they are treated with chlorine.
I'm always surprised by people that don't wash. Besides the pesticides, imagine how many dirty hands handle the fruit and veg, dirt and dust is the least of the worries

[handbagsatdawn33]

I'm more worried about pesticides and filth from dirty hands , so everything gets washed.

[LochJessMonster]

I don't wash them unless there is visible dirt.

with cabbage I would prepare it (slice, shred, break off individual leaves - whatever) tip into the basket of the salad spinner, wash under cold running water and then spin it gently to get excess water off.
I take off outside leaves, cut up into chunks, chuck in boiling water.

[OneHanded]

Yeah if I see mud I rinse under running water or scrub if root veg but otherwise a bit of dut marne hurt nobody buh

[APurpleSquirrel]

I only wash if there is visible dirt or dust on the fruit or veg.

By the way cabbages are one of least likely to be contaminated with pesticides. They grow outwards, so the levels on the outside are always on the outside until the wither or are picked off. There is little to no chance of much pesticide getting inside the cabbage heart so no need to wash every layer.

If you want to know which fruit/veg are most contaminated or least contaminated here is a good (though US) link: time.com/5234787/dirty-dozen-pesticides/

[Starkiwi26]

Thanks all for sharing.
I found NHS guide on washing the vegetables.
www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-wash-fruit-and-vegetables/