In life, many people have the habit of processing vegetables according to their own methods when cooking. However, they are not aware that these seemingly clean methods actually discard a large amount of nutrients in vegetables, affecting the nutrient content of vegetables and thus not achieving the desired effect of consuming vegetables.
1. Throwing away vegetable leaves
① Cut off the fresh green leaves of bamboo shoots and celery; ② Throw away the outer leaves of cabbage; ③ Throw away the old leaves of Chinese cabbage.
Almost every part of vegetables has nutritional value, and their green leaves are the factory where plants synthesize nutrients and the essence of nourishment. Throwing away the leaves will greatly reduce the nutritional value of vegetables. The carotene and calcium content in bamboo shoot leaves are 5.4 times higher than that in the stem. The vitamin C content in celery leaves is 7-15 times higher than that in the stem. The carotene concentration in the outer green leaves of cabbage and Chinese cabbage is several times higher than that in the central white leaves. The vitamin C content is also several times higher. If you don't like the texture of stir-fried leaves, don't throw them away, but cook them separately as another dish.
2. Peeling
① Peel the skin of eggplants; ② Thoroughly peel radishes, sweet potatoes, etc.; ③ Peel the skin of tomatoes.
These practices also discard the nutritional essence of these vegetables. The skin of eggplants has the function of improving blood vessels. It concentrates most of the anthocyanins and antioxidant components of eggplants, and also contains a high concentration of pectin and carotenoids. It's a pity to throw it away. The spicy skin of radishes contains a considerable amount of isothiocyanate compounds, which are the key components of radish's pain-relieving effect. The skin of sweet potatoes and tomatoes contains antioxidant components and dietary fiber, and also has certain anti-cancer effects. If you can keep more skin and eat it, it will be more beneficial to health.
If you think the skin of vegetables is not good in color or texture, you can adjust the cooking method or make it into another dish. For example, "Stir-fried Eggplant Skin" and "Mixed Radish Skin" in the old Beijing style are unique, combining health and deliciousness.
3. Trimming
① Remove the ends of bean sprouts; ② Discard the white sponge part of green pepper seeds; ③ Discard the white core of winter melon.
The most nutritious part of bean sprouts is not the white and tender sprout stem, but the pale yellow sprout tip, and the root is the part with the highest cellulose content. If you trim the ends, you will lose a lot of nutrients. The white core of green peppers and winter melon is the part with the highest vitamin C content, so it is a pity to discard it.
4. Washing and cutting vegetables
① Cut first, then wash; ② Soak in water; ③ Rub the vegetables; ④ Soak or wash Chinese cabbage with hot water or boiling water; ⑤ Cut the vegetables too finely.
Some people like to cut vegetables into pieces before washing them, thinking that this will make them cleaner, but this is unscientific. Cutting vegetables into small pieces increases the contact area with water, causing water-soluble vitamins in vegetables, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, and some water-soluble minerals and acids, to dissolve in the water and be lost. At the same time, cutting vegetables into small pieces also increases the chance of bacterial contamination on the surface of the vegetables. Therefore, it is better to wash the vegetables before cutting them. When washing vegetables, the force should be moderate and not too vigorous, so as not to squeeze out too many nutrients and cause loss.
Many people, after buying vegetables, soak them in water or salt water for about half an hour because they are worried about pesticides on the vegetables. This method is not good for food safety. Research has shown that soaking in detergent and then rinsing it clean, the nitrate content in vegetables is lower than soaking in tap water for 20 minutes. This may be because soaking is a non-reactive state, which helps to increase the activity of nitrate reductase and reduce the activity of nitrate reductase, thereby increasing the nitrate content in vegetables. Prolonged soaking may also cause damage to the leaves and loss of nutrients. However, hot water or boiling water should not be used to soak vegetables. Vegetables should not be cut too finely. They should be kept as large as possible within the allowable range of cooking to reduce the contact between easily oxidizable vitamins and air, which may cause damage.
