Not all vegetables can be used in cold dishes. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, taro, and Chinese yams must be cooked, otherwise the starch granules will not rupture and the human body cannot digest them. Lentils contain large amounts of saponin and red blood cell agglutinin, and if not thoroughly cooked when eaten, they can cause poisoning. The cooking time for lentils should be long rather than short, until they are thoroughly cooked and discolored before they can be safely eaten. Bean sprouts are best stir-fried, and even if eaten cold, they must be cooked first. Eat less of these 4 types of cold dishes.
Category 1: Wild vegetables such as purslane
Wild vegetables like purslane need to be blanched to thoroughly remove dust and small insects to prevent allergies.
Category 2: Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, these nutrient-rich vegetables have a better texture after blanching, and their rich fiber is also easier to digest.
Category 3: Mustard vegetables
Mustard vegetables such as turnips contain a substance called glucosinolate, which can be hydrolyzed to produce volatile mustard oil, which has the effect of promoting digestion and absorption.
Category 4: Vegetables with high oxalic acid content
Vegetables with high oxalic acid content such as spinach, bamboo shoots, and water bamboo, oxalic acid will combine with calcium in the intestine to form calcium oxalate, which is difficult to absorb, interfering with the human body's absorption of calcium. Therefore, they must be blanched in boiling water before making a cold dish to remove most of the oxalic acid. In addition, for vegetables like lettuce and water chestnuts, it is best to peel, wash, and blanch them in boiling water before eating raw, which is more hygienic and will not affect the taste and nutritional content.