Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, rape, celery, crown daisy, and others, have always been the stars of our dining tables. They are rich in various vitamins, potassium, calcium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and folic acid. Besides being commonly stir-fried, some people also enjoy making soups with green leafy vegetables.
Experts point out that green leafy vegetables are not suitable for long-simmered soups.
First, from a health perspective, vegetables, especially green leafy ones, have a relatively high nitrate content. Prolonged storage or cooking can cause nitrates to convert into nitrites, which are harmful to the human body. Therefore, green leafy vegetables must be eaten fresh. This "freshness" not only means they have been stored for a short time but also that they are not overcooked or repeatedly reheated.
Second, from a nutritional standpoint, when green leafy vegetables are cooked for a long time, some of their nutrients undergo changes. For instance, antioxidants can easily oxidize and change color. Finally, in terms of texture, green leafy vegetables are not ideal for soups. Overcooking makes the leaves soft and their color dark, affecting their original flavor. If you want to make a vegetable soup, it's best to choose root and stem vegetables, which have lower nitrite levels. Many of them are suitable for long cooking times, such as white radish, potato, Chinese yam, and lotus root, all of which make for delicious soups.
Experts suggest that if you are making a soup with green leafy vegetables, you should use high heat and boiling water. Briefly blanch the vegetables and then turn off the heat immediately. Green leafy vegetables can also be briefly stir-fried in oil before being added to the soup. This method of cooking quickly deactivates the oxidase in the vegetables, better preserving vitamins and chlorophyll. The resulting soup is not only highly nutritious but also looks good.
Furthermore, experts note that when drinking this type of green leafy vegetable soup, some soluble vitamins and inorganic salts have already dissolved into the broth. Therefore, you should eat both the vegetables and the soup together. Moreover, the soup is best consumed right after it's made. Leaving it for too long or reheating it repeatedly can lead to a loss of some nutrients.