Vegetables are a common sight in daily life and one of the indispensable foods in our daily diet. Vegetables can provide the human body with a variety of vitamins and minerals. While vegetables are nutritious, the way you eat them also matters.
Eating tomatoes before meals
Tomatoes should be eaten after meals. This way, the acidity can be greatly reduced when stomach acid mixes with food, avoiding increased intra-gastric pressure that can cause gastric distension, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and stomach discomfort.
Washing mushrooms too thoroughly or soaking them in water
Mushrooms contain ergosterol, which turns into vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, excessive washing or soaking before eating will cause a significant loss of nutrients. Mushrooms should not be cooked in iron or copper pots to avoid nutrient loss.
Mixing carrots and radishes to make a puree
Do not grind carrots and radishes into a puree together. This is because carrots contain an enzyme that destroys vitamin C, which will completely break down the vitamin C in the radishes.
Eating unblanched bitter melon
The oxalic acid in bitter melon can hinder the absorption of calcium from food. Therefore, it should be blanched in boiling water before consumption to remove the oxalic acid. People who need to supplement a large amount of calcium should not eat too much bitter melon.
Eating too much spinach
Spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid and is not suitable for babies to eat 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 and can easily lead to deficiencies in these minerals.
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 chives for too long
Leftover chives can become toxic. It's best to cook and eat chives fresh; they should not be stored for long periods. If stored for too long, the large amount of nitrate in them can turn into nitrite, causing a toxic reaction. Additionally, babies with indigestion should not eat chives.
Stewing green leafy vegetables for too long
Green leafy vegetables should not be stewed for too long during cooking. Otherwise, the nitrates in them can turn into nitrites, which can easily cause food poisoning.
Boiling frozen vegetables for too long
Most frozen vegetables have already been blanched, so they don't need to be boiled for a long time. Otherwise, they will become mushy and lose many of their nutrients.
Excessive consumption of carotene
Although carotene is very nutritious for babies, it should be consumed in moderation. Drinking too much vegetable juice made from carrots or tomatoes can lead to carotenemia, causing the skin on the face and hands to turn orange-yellow. This can be accompanied by a loss of appetite, unstable mental state, irritability, and even poor sleep, along with symptoms like night terrors, crying, and sleep talking.