Cyclospora Scaries

I didn’t expect a parasite outbreak to inspire this week’s newsletter, but it is 2026 after all.

I’m not here to scare you with more Cyclospora stats (we’ve seen enough of that already), but what I am here to do is:

• answer the common questions I've been getting from clients

• help clear up confusion about certain fruits and veggies

• let cooking have its well-deserved moment to shine (if you haven’t heard, it’s the one thing that actually kills this nasty little parasite)

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes a foodborne illness called Cyclosporiasis. People become infected by consuming contaminated food or water.

In the U.S., outbreaks have most commonly been linked to fresh produce because many fruits and vegetables are eaten raw. That means they don't go through the one step that reliably destroys the parasite: cooking.

Short answer: yes, with a few caveats.

Right now, public health officials aren’t recommending that people stop eating fresh fruits and vegetables altogether. They’re still investigating the current outbreak, which means there isn’t one specific fruit or vegetable that’s been identified as the source nationwide.

Instead of avoiding fruits and veggies, this is a good reminder to stick with the food safety habits we already know are important:

• wash your hands before and after preparing food

• thoroughly rinse fresh produce under running water

• keep an eye on public health updates if new information becomes available

The caveats?

1. Some foods have been linked to Cyclospora outbreaks more often than others.

   • Fresh herbs, berries, bagged salads, and leafy greens tend to come up most often because they're commonly eaten raw.

2. Washing produce is important, but in this situation, it only helps reduce risk. If produce is contaminated with Cyclospora, rinsing it under running water isn't enough to destroy it.

3. Cooking, however, is a different story. Heat is the only thing that reliably destroys Cyclospora, making cooking one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk.

Short answer: no.

Slightly annoying answer: it’s a personal choice.

My answer: I’m cooking my berries and greens for now.

Here’s why.

Knowing that cooking is the only thing that reliably destroys Cyclospora, it feels like a reasonable adjustment for me to make while health officials are still investigating the current outbreak.

I’m not cooking every fruit and vegetable that comes into my kitchen — just the ones that have been linked to Cyclospora outbreaks more often than others.

This doesn’t mean I think everyone needs to make the same decision.

My goal isn’t to give you another food rule. It’s to give you information so you can decide what feels right for you, your kitchen, and your comfort level.

If you’ve decided that cooking your berries and leafy greens feels like the right choice for you right now, the good news is that you don’t have to overcomplicate it.

Here are a few easy ideas:

• Stir greens into soups, curries, or pasta during the last few minutes of cooking.

• Sauté spinach or kale with garlic and olive oil. Eat as a side or add to scrambled eggs, burritos, etc.

• Roast hearty greens like kale for a crispy side or meal topper

  • Preheat oven to 375°F

  • Wash and trim kale, dry as much as possible (salad spinner or towel), tear or cut into bite sized pieces

  • Toss kale with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet (the kale needs room to roast instead of steam, so you might need more than one baking sheet or to roast in batches)

  • Roast for 10-15 minutes or until crisp

• Simmer fresh berries with a squeeze of lemon juice or splash of orange juice. Add maple syrup or honey to taste. You can also add some chia seeds to make a jam!

  • Spread over toast or waffles, mix into yogurt, oatmeal, or ice cream!

• Bake them into muffins, crisps, or cobblers.

• Stir them into oatmeal in the last minute of cooking.

Cooking gives us choices.

Sometimes those choices are about flavor. Sometimes they’re about convenience. Sometimes they’re about food safety (this happens to be one of those times!).

Cooking doesn’t tell us what we have to do — but it does give us options when we need them.

And in a world that's constantly trying to tell us what we should and shouldn't eat, I’m grateful for options instead of more food rules.