Salad: To Bag or Not to Bag?
That is the question. Did grandma eat it that way? If not, think twice. Our grandparents didn’t buy pre-washed salad. This salad has been sitting for at least a week in the bag prior to purchasing, and is supposed to last at least one more week in your fridge. This is old food. People who are suffering from conditions like migraine and chronic pain have very sensitive bodies and may be sensitive to foods like this and the additives used to prolong shelf life. Increased consumption can lead to developing food intolerances.
In addition to eating a CLEAN diet, one needs a varied diet. On one hand we have the wonderful modern convenience of pre-washed, bagged salad and vegetables for stir-frys and the like that make eating healthier easier. However, this is a double-edged sword for those who have suffered from chronic conditions, like myself. Sarah Nassauer, from the Wall Street Journal reported, “Fresh Express washes all its lettuce in the wash, a mixture of water, lactic acid and peroxyacetic.” Others use a water and chlorine wash. It doesn’t matter which chemical.
Natural, good for you food needs to be as fresh as possible from the farm it grew on and free from added chemicals. My body doesn’t like these chemicals. Secondly, the pre-washed, pre-bagged foods are really old. Chemically they are decomposing in the bag and the chemicals help slow that transition to compost. I agree that sometimes the prep of salad can seem tedious. Though, living in Italy has opened my eyes to salad simplicity. I rarely see salads with more than 3 ingredients and the dressing (at least in Northern Italy) is typically only the freshest, fragrant Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Salting my salad leaves was something I learned at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, and makes a huge difference – sea salt (not table salt). Crushed Maldon Sea Salt is my fav, but any sea salt will do. Currently, I have pink Himalayan salt at home. You might consider these types of rock and sea salts expensive, but you only need a pinch and I’ve found them to last about a year – so relatively inexpensive over a year.
My new favorite salad: Mixed organic baby lettuces, mache, & arugula, sesame seeds (for crunch), pinch sea salt, Extra virgin olive oil (and shredded chicken if desired) http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903999904576469973559258778