Fresh produce is supposed to keep you moving, but the latest foodborne outbreak has taken that phrase far too literally. “What to Know About the Diarrhea Outbreak Tied to Fresh Produce” reports that the CDC is investigating hundreds of confirmed Cyclospora infections across dozens of states, while “Outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite grows to more than 1,000 cases” describes a major cluster centered around Michigan and Ohio. (BTW, for a hilarious take on this crappy issue, check out this Claire Danes impersonation video.) We’ll spare you the nasty details here, but trust us when we say the parasite can make your bathroom breaks pretty unpleasant for a few weeks. Investigators haven’t identified a specific contaminated product, but Cyclospora has previously spread through produce exposed to contaminated water. Washing may reduce the risk – especially from foods with plenty of crevices – including raspberries, blackberries, lettuce, cilantro, green onions, and basil. During the outbreak, experts suggest choosing smoother produce that is easier to scrub, buying whole lettuce heads instead of bagged leaves, removing the outer leaves, and cooking vegetables when possible. Once you’ve safely navigated the produce aisle, “Is it true that … we should eat 30 plants a week?” offers some perspective on how much variety you need. The popular target came from a study linking more than 30 weekly plant foods with greater gut-microbiome diversity, but researchers never established 30 as a meaningful cutoff or proved it directly improves health. Eating a mix of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains remains a sensible goal, whether your weekly count reaches 10, 30, or somewhere in between.

#ProduceWithCaution