{"meta":{"status":200,"messages":[],"pagination":{"max":1,"offset":0,"count":1,"total":1,"pageNum":1,"totalPages":1,"sort":null,"currentUrl":"https://api.digitalmedia.hhs.gov/api/v2/resources/media.json?offset=0&max=1&ignoreHiddenMedia=1&format=json&id=15808&newUrlBase=http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication","nextUrl":null,"previousUrl":null}},"results":[{"content":"
\nEating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables gives many health benefits. But it\u2019s important to select and prepare them safely.
\nFruits and vegetables add nutrients to your diet that help protect you from heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Also, choosing vegetables, fruits, and nuts over high-calorie foods can help you manage your weight.
\nSometimes, raw fruits and vegetables contain harmful germs that can make you and your family sick, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. CDC estimates that germs on fresh produce cause a large percentage of foodborne illnesses in the United States.
\nThe safest produce to eat is cooked; the next safest is washed. You can enjoy uncooked fruits and vegetables by taking the following steps to reduce your risk of foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning.
\n \nAnyone can get food poisoning, but people in certain groups are more likely to get sick and to have a more serious illness. These groups are:
\nIf you or someone you care for has a greater chance of getting food poisoning, it\u2019s especially important to take steps to prevent it when preparing fruits and vegetables.
\nCook sprouts thoroughly to reduce the risk of illness. Eating raw or undercooked sprouts may lead to food poisoning. That\u2019s because the warm, humid conditions needed to grow sprouts are also ideal for germs to multiply. It\u2019s especially important to avoid raw sprouts if you are in a group more likely to get seriously sick from food poisoning: older adults, young children, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people.
\n \nLearn more tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from food poisoning.
\n