It’s a worm, not a broccoli stem! Blogger shares steps on how to remove broccoli worms that you’ve been eating all along
In an open-ended survey conducted by a vegetable brand Green Giant, nearly 4,000 Americans across the nation voted in a poll for the most popular vegetable in each state.
Just in time for National Eat Your Vegetable Day on June 17, the survey discovered that broccoli is the most popular vegetable in 47 percent of the United States followed by corn in the second place.
We can safely say that most Americans love broccoli.
In a study in 2007, researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University found a compound called sulforaphane—strong anti-cancer properties in vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy, and brussels sprouts.
There’s nothing better than eating delicious vegetables that are anti-cancer and high in nutrients, but did you really know how to wash them?
Some of us might be aware that there are definitely pesticides and insects lurking in the cruciferous vegetable, but did you know there are worms in the stems too? These worms have the same color as the broccoli stem, so you might have been eating them all along!
The Easiest Way to Get Worms Out of Broccoli
Here’s mom’s tip to get worms out of broccoli:
Simply fill a basin with hot salt water and dump the broccoli florets in.
Let sit around 20 minutes, swishing vigorously with your hand every so often to dislodge the more stubborn unwelcome guests.
I don’t measure exactly, I just throw about a handful of canning or table salt in my Rubbermaid dish pan.
Why warm water?
When hit with cold temperatures, the natural react is to contract – or potentially hold on tighter. Warm water is relaxing, like a nice little broccoli worm hot tub. They relax, let go, and the salt does its job.
After soaking, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Use right away, refrigerate in a sealed container so it doesn’t get limp, or process for storage.
A Joybilee Farms uses a similar method to get rid of broccoli worms, but she uses cold salt water and adds 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
Soaking the broccoli. The pink canning jars are a batch of pickled beets I just finished.
Soaking broccoli to remove worms
Draining the broccoli in my over the sink strainer.
Straining broccoli to remove broccoli worms
All the worms that used to be hiding in a sink full of broccoli.
Not all worms can be removed from soaking the vegetable in water. So carefully pick them with a toothpick before rinsing them again with clean water.
It’s easy to miss out the worms because they have the same color as the stem.
There you go! We are done with the washing part!
Source: en.goodtimes.my/commonsensehome.com
