Everyone knows that nutrients in vegetables, such as vitamin C and B vitamins, are easily destroyed by cooking, and eating them raw helps preserve these nutrients. However, depending on the vegetable, some are best blanched in boiling water before eating, while others must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Vegetables Suitable for Eating Raw
Carrots, white radishes, water radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, the heart of Chinese cabbage, purple cabbage, etc. When eating raw, it's best to choose pesticide-free green vegetables or organic vegetables. Methods for eating raw include making fresh vegetable juice, lightly dressing fresh vegetables with vinegar, salt, olive oil, etc., or cutting them into pieces to dip in sauce.
Vegetables That Need to Be Blanched
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, taste better after blanching. They are rich in fiber and easier to digest. Vegetables high in oxalic acid, like spinach, bamboo shoots, and water bamboo shoots, are also best blanched, as oxalic acid combines with calcium in the intestines to form calcium oxalate, which is difficult to absorb and interferes with the body's calcium absorption. Vegetables like turnips and other mustard-family vegetables contain sinigrin. Blanching them hydrolyzes it into volatile mustard oil, which improves the flavor and aids digestion. Blanching wild vegetables like purslane can thoroughly remove dust and insects and prevent allergies. For vegetables like lettuce and water chestnuts, it's also best to peel, wash, and scald them in boiling water before eating raw.
Vegetables That Must Be Cooked
1. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, taro, and Chinese yams, must be cooked, otherwise their starch granules will not break down, and the human body cannot digest them.
2. Kidney beans and green beans, which contain large amounts of saponins and hemagglutinins, must be cooked until they change color before eating.
3. Bean sprouts must be cooked thoroughly, whether in cold dishes or stir-fries.
Fresh Daylilies and Wood Ear Mushrooms Should Not Be Eaten
Fresh wood ear mushrooms and fresh daylilies contain toxins and should never be eaten. When eating dried wood ear mushrooms, it's advisable to soak them in warm water before cooking. Any parts that remain shriveled after soaking should not be eaten. Dried daylilies are better rehydrated in cold water.
A Combination of Raw and Cooked is Most Beneficial
A combination of raw and cooked vegetables is more beneficial for the body. For example, there are many varieties of radishes; those that are juicy and less pungent are better for eating raw, but they are considered cooling foods, so people with yin deficiency might be better off cooking them. The nutrients obtained from some foods can differ whether they are eaten raw or cooked. For instance, tomatoes contain lycopene, which can reduce the risk of prostate and liver cancer. To effectively absorb it, tomatoes should be cooked. However, if you want to get vitamin C, eating them raw is more effective because vitamin C is easily lost during the cooking process.