Modern people have too many social obligations to face, and today's food contains a lot of junk food. However, these snacks and fast foods occupy the majority of our diet structure. Consuming healthy food is the foundation of our physical health. It should be noted that fresh vegetables contain a lot of water, while their starch, protein, and fat content are very low and cannot be used as the main energy-supplying food. However, they are an important source of minerals, dietary fiber, and vitamins. In recent years, eating vegetables has become a new trend in healthy eating. But did you know that you might be eating them wrong?
1. Excessive Consumption of Carotene
Although carotene is very nutritious, it should be consumed in moderation. Drinking too much vegetable juice made from carrots or tomatoes can cause carotenemia (especially in children), which turns the facial and hand skin orange-yellow. It can lead to loss of appetite, unstable mental state, irritability, and even poor sleep, accompanied by night terrors, crying, sleep talking, and other symptoms.
2. Cleaning or Soaking Mushrooms Too Thoroughly
The nutrients of mushrooms are washed away. Mushrooms contain ergosterol, which turns into vitamin D after exposure 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 pots to avoid nutrient loss.
3. Eating Tomatoes Before Meals
Tomatoes should not be eaten before meals. They should be eaten after the meal. This way, the acidity of the stomach acid mixed with food is greatly reduced, avoiding an increase in intra-gastric pressure that can cause gastric distension, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and stomach discomfort.
4. Making a Puree with Carrots and Radishes
Do not grind carrots and radishes into a puree together. This is because carrots contain an enzyme that can destroy vitamin C, which will completely break down the vitamin C in the radishes.
5. Eating Undercooked Bean Sprouts
Bean sprouts are tender, delicious, and nutritious, but they must be thoroughly cooked. Otherwise, eating them can cause adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness.
6. Eating Too Much Spinach
Spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid in the human body will combine with calcium and zinc 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.
7. Eating Bitter Melon Without Blanching in Boiling Water
The oxalic acid in bitter melon can hinder the absorption of calcium from food. Therefore, bitter melon should be blanched in boiling water before cooking to remove the oxalic acid. People who need to supplement a large amount of calcium should not eat too much bitter melon.
8. Cooked Chives Stored for Too Long
Leftover chives can become toxic. Chives are best cooked and eaten immediately; they cannot be stored for a long time. If stored for too long, a large amount of nitrate in them will turn into nitrite, causing a toxic reaction. Additionally, people with indigestion should not eat chives.
9. Stewing Green Leafy Vegetables for Too Long
Green leafy vegetables should not be stewed for too long during cooking. Otherwise, the nitrates in them will turn into nitrites, which may cause food poisoning.
10. Cooking Frozen Vegetables for Too Long
Most frozen vegetables have already been blanched, so they do not need to be cooked for a long time. Otherwise, they will become mushy and lose many nutrients.