There are many kinds of green vegetables, among which green leafy vegetables are the most nutritious, containing a lot of fiber, trace elements, vitamins and minerals. The darker and brighter the color of the green vegetables, the higher the nutritional value, rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, folic acid, carotene, lutein, dietary fiber and iron. How should green vegetables with low calories and high nutritional value be cooked in order to consume nutrient-rich vegetables?
The nutrients of vegetables are affected by the variety, cultivation, climate and cooking process, so the first step is to choose the vegetables you want to eat without losing nutrients. Generally speaking, the fresher the vegetables are, the richer their nutrient content.
According to a study, vegetables that are washed first and then cut can retain more than 100% of their vitamin C. If vegetables are cut first and then washed, they may drop to 74%, so it is best to rinse them carefully with running water before cooking them, especially if they are to be eaten raw or cold, they must be washed well to avoid the fear of bacterial infection.
After washing the vegetables, it is best to cut and cook them now. If the vegetables are cut and then washed, water-soluble vitamins, some minerals and some water-soluble carbohydrates will be carried away from the cuts with the water. Soaking vegetables after washing and then cutting can also prevent the residual pesticides from contaminating the vegetable cuts again, as prolonged soaking will present an “osmosis balance” process, which will not help much in removing pesticide residues and will only provide a breeding ground for microorganisms.
Therefore, when handling ingredients, remember to master the two principles of “wash first, cut now and cook” and “reduce the surface area of the cuts of ingredients” because nutrients will oxidize in the air, and in order to reduce the contact surface with the air, too finely chopped vegetables are also factors that affect nutrient loss.
If you want to cook vegetables with high nutritional value, do not want to eat for nothing, the cooking method is an important key, “temperature” and “water” is the cooking process, the main impact of nutrient loss of two major factors, such as vegetables if the heating time is too long, in fact, can eat less nutrients.
For example, cucumbers with high water-soluble nutrient content can be eaten raw, steamed or cooked at low temperature to retain the most nutrients; however, fat-soluble nutrients must be cooked with fat to improve nutrient absorption rate, such as carrots with rich carotene content and tomatoes with high lycopene content belong to this category.
In addition, vegetables with high iron content, such as spinach, should be boiled first to remove oxalic acid for better health; vegetables that are more troublesome to clean or have coarser fibers, such as cauliflower, can be boiled quickly to help remove possible pesticide residues and also help reduce the degree of loss of cancer-fighting nutrients “sulfide” due to the heat frying time.
In order to reduce the loss of water-soluble nutrients, it is important to master the key of “the less water you touch, the less nutrients you lose”. For those who are concerned about a healthy diet with less oil, try the “water stir-fry method”! After the vegetables are washed and cut, put a small amount of water of about 10 c.c. in the wok and bring it to a boil, or do not add water because the freshly washed and cut vegetables already have a little water attached.
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