11 WAYS TO IDENTIFY THE PURITY OF THE FOODS YOU ARE EATING

Food is the basic necessity of mankind. It provides us with the energy we need to do our day to day activities and the nourishment our body needs to grow.

Most of the foods we eat become impure till the time they reach us. Hence, it is really very important for us to understand whether we are consuming pure foods or not. We all should know what all we are consuming and also we should know how to identify the purity of the food we are eating. Adulteration, these days has become an issue which is increasing at an alarming rate each day. It is done to decrease the quality of the food product so that a lesser amount of money is spent on its manufacturing.  

Most of us, however, are aware of adulteration but none of us give it the importance it should be given when it comes to taste and flavor. Not only processed foods such as maggi and curd, but natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, rice and milk are also adulterated.. Mentioned below are few tricks to identify whether the food you are about to consume is pure or adulterated:

1. MILK: Most common adulterant of milk is water. The presence of water in milk is extremely easy to identify. Pour a drop of milk on a slanting surface. Pure milk, if it flows, will flow very slowly leaving a white mark on the path it passes while the milk adulterated with water will flow immediately without any mark.

2. COCONUT OIL: Put coconut oil in the refrigerator. Coconut oil will become solid while the adulterant will appear on top of it as a separate layer.

3. SUGAR:  The adulterant present in sugar is chalk powder.Take a small amount of sugar in a glass of water and keep it undisturbed for a few minutes. Chalk powder will settle down at the bottom of the glass. 

4. HONEY: Make a cotton wick and dip it in honey. If this is pure, the cotton wick will burn when lighted by a matchstick. If it is adulterated with water, it will either not burn or it will make a crackling sound. 

5. FROZEN PEAS: The adulterant present in frozen peas is malachite, which is a green dye. To check the purity of green peas, take water in a pan, add the frozen peas and stir occasionally. If the water turns green in color, the peas are impure.

6. APPLES: Most of the vendors polish the apples with wax to give them a shine and a fresh look. Take an apple, and scratch the skin with a knife. If you see white colored extract falling off, it is an apple polished with wax.

7. CUMIN SEEDS: Charcoal is the main adulterant present in cumin seeds. To check its purity, crush the seeds with your hand. If your palm turns black, the seeds are adulterated.

8. TURMERIC ROOT: Turmeric root is often adulterated with color. Take a turmeric root and put it under running water. If the root leaves its color, it is adulterated and shouldn't be eaten.

9. BLACK PEPPER: If black pepper is adulterated, it will shine and smell like kerosene.

10. TEA: Put a teaspoon of tea leaves in cold water. If the water turns brown in color, it is impure.

11. CINNAMON: Break a few cinnamon sticks with your hand. If they leave color in your hands, they are pure.

Thus, each and every individual should become extremely smart while selecting the food items. All of us should have a little knowledge of adulteration and how it can be identified. By that we can eat healthy food items and lead a healthy life.