Do you have questions about nutrition? Send them to us at comer@lavanguardia.es, our nutritionist Aitor Sánchez will answer all your questions.
Is it true that tomatoes should be eaten without the skin because it is the fruit that absorbs the most pesticides and they are concentrated in this part of the fruit? Thank you very much for the reply. (Pilar Luzezas, reader)
Hello Pilar,
It is true that some pesticides and environmental pollutants are found in slightly higher amounts in the skin of many fruits, but these amounts are not high enough for there to be a general recommendation for continuous peeling.
Yes, there has been a fairly significant reduction in the concentration of these substances in those fruits that are especially delicate and fleshy, and when washing them at home are much more complicated because we could damage them. Tomatoes would not be one of them, but we are referring to raspberries, currants, blackberries and strawberries.
In the entire family of red fruits, immersion in water and the addition of an acidic substance such as vinegar for about 15 minutes is recommended.
I want to insist that the amounts we are exposed to of pesticides are accepted as safe today, and to put it in context, it is much more dangerous to live in a city with cars and traffic, if that is something that worries us.
If we want to reduce our exposure to these xenobiotics, it would make much more sense to do so with the fruits that I have already mentioned, in addition to reducing the amount of large oily fish consumed, which are the foods richest in mercury.
What foods should I avoid if I have a lot of mucus? (Javier Rodríguez, reader)
Hello Javier,
It is difficult to find a direct relationship between food and mucus generation. Normally, there is usually some allergic or autoimmune reaction involved that can generate this excess mucus.
Ideally, you should go to an allergy consultation so that you can identify more specifically if you may have any adverse reactions to different foods.
There are some people who also report that dairy consumption generates excess mucus in the upper airways, but it is still a somewhat conclusive relationship that is not entirely clear.
Once you rule out the potential source of your mucus and know if it is due to an autoimmune reaction, you could use some foods that do have mucolytic action to reduce the density of the mucus. This may be useful to partially alleviate symptoms, but should never be taken as a long-term treatment.
We have the effect generated by infusions and aromatic herbs, and also especially the effect of garlic, ginger and of course spicy foods.
