Now that you’ve hit your favorite farmer’s market for fresh fruits, veggies and herbs, do you know how to store them correctly?
We found this extremely helpful video on HGTV about how to store tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, herbs and more.
In our search to learn the proper way to store produce, we also learned that the way you store produce can change its nutritional value. Some methods of storing produce cause the fruit or veggie to lose vital nutrients, while other methods enhance the nutrients, meaning you get more of the good stuff. Here are some tip we found at Health.com
Store watermelon at room temperature
After bringing home a watermelon, many people will stick it in the refrigerator. But according to research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, keeping it out of the fridge can significantly boost the potency of its antioxidants and other nutrients. The study found that after watermelon was picked and stored at room temp, levels of the protective phytochemical lycopene increased by up to 40%, while levels of beta-carotene rose by nearly 140%.
In contrast, the study found that when other types of melons were chilled, their nutrient levels remained about the same.
Let pears get super ripe
Not all fruits continue to ripen after they’ve been harvested, but pears do. And research from the University of Innsbruck found that allowing pears to really ripen increases levels of certain antioxidants. If you purchase pears that are firm, store them at room temperature in a fruit bowl. To speed up the process, put them next to bananas, which produce an ethylene gas that accelerates ripening. To check if your pear is ready to eat, press on the neck. If it gives, it’s ripe.
Steam broccoli
A classic study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture found that to preserve its nutrients, steaming may be the very best method.
Researchers compared how boiling, steaming, and microwaving impacted the total flavonoid antioxidant levels of broccoli, and found that steaming had a minimal effect. (Meanwhile microwaving diminished levels by up to 97%, and boiling caused a 66% loss.)
