Your vegetables could be giving you the food poisoning you thought was from meat

Your vegetables could be giving you the food poisoning you thought was from meat

It may be a shock for you to find out that the green vegetables that are so healthy for you are also the number one source of food poisoning in the United States. This conclusion can make it a little uncomfortable for your health officials who are pushing for the nation to eat more vegetables.

In an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leafy greens were found at the top of the list. Greens such as lettuce, spinach, and other green vegetables need more care than typical foods when buying and handling. The analysis also shared that one out of every five cases of food poisoning is linked to leafy green vegetables.

It is not just greens that were linked to food poisoning. Produce and greens account for nearly 50% of all food poisoning. Even though this number is large, greens did not lead to more fatalities. More people were killed in outbreaks of contamination of poultry and meats that in produce. Dairy also caused 10% of contamination fatalities.

Most frequently vegetable related illnesses come from the cooks and food handlers rather than from the food itself. The FDA has already proposed a new rule for hygiene standards for farmers and workers to reduce contact with animal waste and dirty water.

You should still be eating your greens, just make sure they are stored and washed properly. Always separate them from other produce and poultry when storing. Make sure you wash your greens in separate containers and have a separate chopping board and utensils for cutting them.