Nowadays, people have increasingly high demands for their diet, not only pursuing delicious taste but also paying attention to nutritional balance and health. However, some people's daily habits unknowingly lead to the loss of food nutrients. In daily life, learning to store and cook food scientifically can help retain the nutrients in food.
Don't store food for too long
Many people like to buy a week's worth of groceries on weekends and store them in the refrigerator. In fact, the longer food is stored, the more nutrients are lost. The longer food is stored, the larger the surface area exposed to gases and light, leading to greater loss of vitamins with antioxidant properties (such as vitamins A, C, and E). Vegetables should be bought and eaten fresh, preferably buying only what you need to eat.
Freeze meat in portions
Some people are used to thawing a large piece of meat and then refreezing the leftover cut pieces. Others soak frozen meat in hot water to speed up thawing. These practices are not advisable. Because repeatedly thawing fish and meat can lead to nutrient loss and affect the texture. Song Xin suggests that the best way to store meat is to divide it into portions and freeze them quickly.
Rinsing rice twice is enough
Many people like to rinse rice three to five times when cooking. Song Xin says that the more times you rinse rice, the more nutrients are lost. Many water-soluble vitamins will dissolve in the water, and vitamin B1 is particularly easily lost. Therefore, rice should generally be rinsed with clean water twice, and do not rub it vigorously.
Wash vegetables before cutting
There is a big difference in nutritional value between washing vegetables before cutting and cutting them first. Song Xin says that cutting vegetables before washing increases the surface area in contact with the air, making nutrients prone to oxidation and causing water-soluble vitamins to be lost. Research has shown that when fresh leafy vegetables are washed before cutting, only 1% of their vitamin C is lost. If cut and then soaked for 10 minutes, vitamin C loss can be 16% to 18.5%. The longer the soaking time after cutting, the more vitamins are lost.
Don't add alkali when congee
Some people believe that adding alkali when making congee saves time and makes it thicker and tastier. Song Xin says that adding alkali to congee accelerates the destruction of B vitamins in rice (such as rice and millet). Therefore, no alkali should be added when making rice congee. However, a small amount of alkali can be added when making corn congee because the bound niacin in corn is not easily absorbed by the human body. Adding alkali can convert bound niacin into free niacin, which the body can absorb and utilize.
Use less water when stir-frying
When stir-frying, use high heat and cook quickly to avoid long stewing. Keep the lid on the pot to prevent water-soluble vitamins from escaping with the steam. Use as little water as possible when stir-frying. When stewing dishes, add a little vinegar appropriately, which can not only season the food but also help protect vitamin C from loss. When cooking meat dishes, adding a little starch can reduce nutrient loss and improve the texture.
Don't heat for too long
The choice of cooking method also affects the loss of nutrients in food. Multi-leaf vegetables can lose 20% to 70% of their nutrients during heating. Overcooking food by steaming or boiling can destroy many vitamins. Vitamins C and B, and amino acids, all have a common weakness: they are "heat-sensitive" and can be lost at temperatures above 80°C. Frying food can destroy vitamins A, C, and E in the food and also produce toxic acrylamide.
Blanch spinach before stir-frying
Before stir-frying spinach, it should be blanched first because spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid, which can form calcium oxalate with the calcium in the food consumed. Calcium oxalate is not absorbed by the body, which can lead to calcium loss. Blanching spinach in boiling water can dissolve more than 80% of the oxalic acid, thereby increasing the bioavailability of calcium. When blanching, add the spinach to the boiling water and remove it quickly; do not boil it for a long time.
Drinking juice is not as good as eating fruit directly
When fruit is juiced, the pulp and membrane are removed. In this process, vitamin C is greatly reduced, and a large amount of dietary fiber is also lost. Therefore, drinking juice is not as good as eating fruit directly. If you must make juice, it is best to use a blender, which can retain the pulp and membrane.