Eating greens is good. Let's make sure it's safe.

The Western diet is changing. Less carbs, less sugar, less fat. More veggies. More nuts. More fibers. More fruit. That's good. However this change is creating new food safety challenges, as fresh produce / raw food do not have a "kill step" (when germs are eliminated by high temperatures).

Veggies are safe if you wash them thoroughly before consumption (and wash your hands at least 30 seconds before slicing and dicing them). Many people trust the food chain so much (or simply think they do not have time for this) that they neglect those simple precautions. Food companies are working hard to make sure fresh produce will be harmless. However germs can enter the process at any moment of the product life cycle, particularly downstream, at home or in the store shelves. Or in food trucks and restaurants.

In my opinion, steam cooking may be actually the best solution, retaining vitamins and minerals while destroying potentially dangerous pathogens. But hey, that's just me.

Fresh and green is good if everyone feels responsible for food safety, from farmers to consumers. Simple, low cost, common sense precautions can lower risk significantly. It's all about us doing the right things in terms of hygiene. The simple things we learned when we were kids, and which are still our best safeguards today.