Cold dishes are not cooked at high temperatures. If they contain excessive pesticide residues, they can be harmful to human health. Therefore, when eating cold dishes or raw vegetables, it is best to choose pollution-free green vegetables or organic vegetables.
Eating tomatoes before meals is common.
Tomatoes should be eaten after meals. This allows stomach acid and food to mix, significantly reducing acidity and preventing an increase in intra-gastric pressure that can lead to gastric distension, causing symptoms like abdominal pain and stomach discomfort in babies.
Mixing carrots and radishes to make a puree.
Do not grind carrots and radishes together into a puree. This is because carrots contain an enzyme that destroys vitamin C, which will completely break down the vitamin C in the radishes.
Washing mushrooms too thoroughly or soaking them in water.
Mushrooms contain ergosterol, which converts to vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, excessive washing or soaking before cooking will cause a significant loss of nutrients. Mushrooms should also not be cooked in iron or copper pans to avoid nutritional loss.
Excessive consumption of carotene.
Although carotene is very nutritious for babies, it should be consumed in moderation. Babies who drink too much vegetable juice made from carrots or tomatoes may develop carotenemia, causing their facial and hand skin to turn orange-yellow. This can be accompanied by loss of appetite, unstable mental state, irritability, and even restless sleep, along with symptoms like night terrors, crying, and sleep talking.
Be wary of the carcinogenic risk of excessive carotene supplementation.
The traditional view was that supplementing with carotene not only reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cataracts but also has anti-cancer effects. However, in recent years, many test results have found that compared to a normal control group, the group that took β-carotene did not have a lower incidence of lung cancer; on the contrary, it was 28% higher.
Nutritionists analyze that a physiological dose (5 mg/day) of carotene does have a cancer-suppressing effect. However, excessive intake of carotene can prevent vitamin A from binding to its receptors, thereby inhibiting the activation of tumor suppressor genes. The result is not cancer suppression but the opposite. Therefore, the human body only needs a physiological dose of carotene and should never be taken in excess. It is sufficient to eat natural foods rich in β-carotene, such as various animal livers, milk, carrots, chives, tea, etc.
Feeding babies un-blanched bitter melon.
The oxalic acid in bitter melon can hinder the absorption of calcium from food. Therefore, it should be blanched in boiling water first to remove the oxalic acid. Babies who need a large amount of calcium should not eat too much bitter melon.
Feeding babies too much spinach.
Spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid and should not be given to babies in excess. Oxalic acid combines with calcium and zinc in the body to form calcium oxalate and zinc oxalate, which are not easily absorbed and excreted. This affects the absorption of calcium and zinc in the intestines, easily leading to calcium and zinc deficiency in babies, causing poor development of bones and teeth, and affecting intellectual development.
Eating undercooked bean sprouts.
Bean sprouts are tender, delicious, and nutritious, but they must be thoroughly cooked. Otherwise, eating them can lead to adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness.
Storing cooked leeks for too long.
Leftover leeks can become toxic. Leeks are best cooked and eaten fresh and should not be stored for long. If stored for too long, the large amount of nitrate in them can convert into nitrite, causing a toxic reaction. Additionally, babies with indigestion should not eat leeks.
Stewing green leafy vegetables for too long.
Green leafy vegetables should not be stewed for too long during cooking. Otherwise, the nitrates in the vegetables will convert into nitrites, which can easily cause food poisoning in babies.
Boiling frozen vegetables for too long.
Most frozen vegetables have already been blanched, so they do not need to be boiled for a long time. Otherwise, they will become mushy and lose many nutrients.