We live in a world where the fastest selling items of every kind are those that provide convenience, and this is especially true when it comes to food industries. Ultimately, we want to stay healthy but in a convenient way. Take bagged lettuce for example. Having a bunch of these delicious vegetables that are ready-made for you seems perfect. Most research today shows that there is more harm than good done when you choose bagged over fresh lettuce.
Here are the 10 Healthy Reasons to Choose Fresh Lettuce over Bagged Lettuce.
1. Bagged lettuce is not as nutritious as fresh once
Vegetables have been known to lose a lot of nutritional value after they have been chopped, washed and stored. When it comes to packaged lettuce, the process is even more rigorous because they are mass produced. By the time they reach your plate, bagged lettuce can be less than half as nutritious as they should be when they are fresh.
2. Chemical Washing
Keeping raw lettuce fresh in bags naturally entails a lot of chemical washing. Reports say that packaged lettuce is washed with chlorine water which is highly concentrated. Not only does that wash off nutrients, but also means that they carry these chemicals with them to your plate. For fresh lettuce, there is minimal contact with chemicals that are involved in packaging and preserving food which makes them the healthy choice.
3. Nasty Bacteria
Multiple people and machines handle Pre-chopped and pre-washed lettuce and vegetables in general as they go through the packaging process. Because of this handling, bagged lettuce have a higher chance of contamination by bacteria such as E. coli which is notorious for food poisoning and other infections. In recent days E. coli has been a problematic outbreak of infection in the USA which led to over 40 people hospitalized considerably associated with bagged lettuce.
Multiple people and machines handle Pre-chopped and pre-washed lettuce and vegetables in general as they go through the packaging process. Because of this handling, bagged lettuce have a higher chance of contamination by bacteria such as E. coli which is notorious for food poisoning and other infections. In recent days E. coli has been a problematic outbreak of infection in the USA which led to over 40 people hospitalized considerably associated with bagged lettuce.
4. Mind the Environment
Purchasing bagged lettuce comes with the hassle of having to deal with its packaging. In a world where the production of wastes plastic especially at peak, choosing to buy fresh lettuce from stores is a better choice for both your health and the environment.
5. You Could Be Eating More Than Lettuce
It's proven that triple washing lettuce in chlorine water does not make them 100% safe for consumption. However, there may even be more to it than expected. Mass production of food tends to be clumsy even when there are machines involved. The steps involved alone warrant a higher chance of contamination. Sometimes, other contaminants and foreign objects such as weeds or smaller animals may slip into the packages along with the lettuce.
6. The Water Costs Are Insane
As mentioned earlier, packaged lettuce undergoes a process of triple-washing before being sent for packaging. The amount of water used to clean these vegetables before packing is massive and wasteful. Even thorough cleaning of fresh lettuce does not compare to the amount of water that is spent washing them in packaging industries.
7. Fresh Lettuce Just Tastes Better
After all, the chemical washing, packaging, and somewhat long durations on the shelf life bagged lettuce doesn’t just lose the nutrients, but it also loses the flavor. The fresh stuff always tastes better, which is why fresh lettuce is still the healthier choice.
8. Organic vs Convenient
If you’re one for organic vegetables, then you should probably consider fresh lettuce for a change. Packaged goods are very rarely organic and even when they are, the whole point of being organic vanishes when they have undergone chemical processes to keep them fresh for longer.
9. Risks of Rot
Packaged lettuce may have undergone various processes to ensure that it has a longer shelf life, but if they are contaminated, that may warrant earlier decomposition. The only way to inspect the lettuce is after purchasing them and opening up the package, and nobody wants to go home to rotten vegetables.
10. Eventually, You Get Better at Cooking
Sure, bagged lettuce is great for a quick salad, However; it denies us of the chance to learn proper food handling on our own. Such skills are essential to learning because they help us to appreciate the process and even enjoy our homemade meals more.
Purchasing bagged lettuce comes with the hassle of having to deal with its packaging. In a world where the production of wastes plastic especially at peak, choosing to buy fresh lettuce from stores is a better choice for both your health and the environment.
5. You Could Be Eating More Than Lettuce
It's proven that triple washing lettuce in chlorine water does not make them 100% safe for consumption. However, there may even be more to it than expected. Mass production of food tends to be clumsy even when there are machines involved. The steps involved alone warrant a higher chance of contamination. Sometimes, other contaminants and foreign objects such as weeds or smaller animals may slip into the packages along with the lettuce.
6. The Water Costs Are Insane
As mentioned earlier, packaged lettuce undergoes a process of triple-washing before being sent for packaging. The amount of water used to clean these vegetables before packing is massive and wasteful. Even thorough cleaning of fresh lettuce does not compare to the amount of water that is spent washing them in packaging industries.
7. Fresh Lettuce Just Tastes Better
After all, the chemical washing, packaging, and somewhat long durations on the shelf life bagged lettuce doesn’t just lose the nutrients, but it also loses the flavor. The fresh stuff always tastes better, which is why fresh lettuce is still the healthier choice.
8. Organic vs Convenient
If you’re one for organic vegetables, then you should probably consider fresh lettuce for a change. Packaged goods are very rarely organic and even when they are, the whole point of being organic vanishes when they have undergone chemical processes to keep them fresh for longer.
9. Risks of Rot
Packaged lettuce may have undergone various processes to ensure that it has a longer shelf life, but if they are contaminated, that may warrant earlier decomposition. The only way to inspect the lettuce is after purchasing them and opening up the package, and nobody wants to go home to rotten vegetables.
10. Eventually, You Get Better at Cooking
Sure, bagged lettuce is great for a quick salad, However; it denies us of the chance to learn proper food handling on our own. Such skills are essential to learning because they help us to appreciate the process and even enjoy our homemade meals more.
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