Baker tells how to choose quality fruits and vegetables

The World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 g of fruits and vegetables every day. Fresh juices, fruit pies and salads are not only tasty, but very healthy. But with so much variety in supermarkets, choosing a quality product is not always easy.

My name is Marie Troïtskaia, I am a pastry chef and I know how to choose the tastiest fruits and vegetables. If you are the type who always picks the brightest apple, this post will interest you.

I’ve got some tricks for the incredible.club about the most important details when choosing fruits and vegetables. Read carefully and take advantage of these tips to make your dishes even tastier.

Many people tend to choose tomatoes that are on branches with the idea that they are fresher. In reality, the stalk does not indicate freshness, but suggests that it is green. Ripe tomatoes fall by themselves, that is, if they are still on a branch, most likely they were cut when they were still green and ripened in the box. This type of tomato usually contains less vitamins and nutrients.

The color of a tomato should be uniform, without green areas, and the aroma should be pleasant. Nitrate-fertilized tomatoes are easily identifiable: they are firm but not hard. By pressing them, we leave no marks. Good tomatoes should be touch sensitive.

The most delicious watermelons tend to ripen between summer and fall. Some farmers accelerate this process and fertilize them. All fruits of the family of cucurbitaceae absorb harmful substances from the air, so do not buy fruits on the road. For the same reason, do not buy cut fruit.

Choose a medium-sized watermelon. Bright, well-defined stripes are signs that the fruit is ripe. The stem of a ripe watermelon is dry because it stops absorbing moisture from the soil when it is ripe.

Punch the watermelon with your fist; Ripe fruits produce a clear sound.

Few people know this, but the Bell peppers can be either male or female, and the flavor varies. To know what kind of bell pepper we are talking about, look at its shape: if it has 4 ‘divisions’, it is female; if you have 3, it’s male. The male is usually more elongated, while the female pepper is shorter and wider. The latter is softer and sweeter, so it can be eaten fresh.

Male peppers are more acidic and harder. They are good for preserves and for hot dishes. The heavier the bell pepper, the juicier it will be. The stalk should be green and firm. Look for peppers without orange spots; they mean he was a victim of insects.

Choose medium sized fruits. The apples must be hard and quite heavy for their size. Don’t buy shiny apples; they were usually covered with wax or other resins to draw attention. In addition, to buy green apples, pay attention to the gray area around the stalk; it means the apple is ripe. The most delicious and vitamin-rich fruits are, as you can imagine, those in season.

Buy cherries in season, usually in the summer when they are tastier and cheaper. Before buying, use your senses, making sure the fruit is neither soft nor hard. It doesn’t need to release juice. The cherry should have a strong, bright color. The darker it is, the more sugars, carotenoids, anthocyanins and organic acids it will have.

Cherry should always be with petioles. If the fruit is fresh, the stalk will be green and firm. If it’s sticky, chances are it’s overdone. If it smells like fermentation, it’s better not to eat.

Choose fruit with an even color and avoid any that are cracked, blemished or other imperfections. The plum should be heavy and have a sweet aroma. If on the skin of the fruit there is a thin white layer, then it is green. pay attention to petiole: the stalk of a ripe plum is dry.

Give preference to bright green cucumber. It is important that he is firm to the touch. If it is green, most likely the peel will not be shiny.

Pay attention to the stalk: if it’s dry, the cucumber is not good. Buy cucumbers of medium size, from 10 to 15 cm. Large ones have a watery taste and can be bitter. Do not choose cucumbers with spots and bumps.

Always look for bananas with a strong yellow color. Small black dots on the peel are an indication that the banana is ripe and ready to eat. but in that case it should not be kept for more than 2 days.

Don’t buy bananas with black spots that are too big; they suggest the banana is overdone. The size of the fruit does not matter. After all, there are different types, such as nanica, silver and apple banana.

A ripe pear can be easily identified by smell. The fruit shouldn’t be too hard, but it shouldn’t be too soft. On the skin, it is important that bumps do not appear. The brown spots near the stalk are a sign that the fruit is ripe. There are varieties that retain a bright green, but in most cases a slight ‘blush’ indicates that the fruit is ripe.

When choosing a kiwi, place the fruit between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze: a ripe fruit will be soft but firm. Also, pay attention to the smell: a ripe kiwi has a citrus aroma, the skin is smooth, elastic and without visible damage.

The peel of a Sicilian lemon shines brightly. Pay attention to the skin: smooth skin means that the lemon was picked from a tree that bore fruit for the first time. The concentration of nutrients is therefore higher.

A very porous skin appears in lighter lemons with less juice.

When choosing an avocado (a type of avocado), the first thing you should do is pay attention to the color. Ripe fruits are darker. But beware that some types of avocados or avocados stay green for much longer. The avocado skin should be rough, but without large bumps. The last step is to check the stalk. If the area around it is green or yellow, the fruit can be bought. If it’s brown, it’s about to be overdone.

If you know any other tips for choosing fruits and vegetables, share them in the comments!