Everyone knows that eating more vegetables is beneficial to your health. However, if you eat vegetables in the wrong way, it can be even more deadly. Let's take a look at 10 deadly ways to eat vegetables. Everyone knows that eating more vegetables is beneficial to your health. However, if you eat vegetables in the wrong way, it can be even more deadly. Let's take a look at 10 deadly ways to eat vegetables.
I. Often eating tomatoes before a meal
Tomatoes should be eaten after a meal. This way, the acidity can be greatly reduced when gastric acid and food mix, avoiding an increase in intra-gastric pressure that can cause gastric distension, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and stomach discomfort in children.
II. 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 destroy the vitamin C in the radishes.
III. Washing mushrooms too clean 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 nutritional value. Mushrooms should also not be cooked in iron or copper pots to avoid nutrient loss.
IV. Excessive consumption of carotene
Although carotene is very nutritious, it should be consumed in moderation. Drinking excessive amounts of 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 result in loss of appetite, unstable mental state, irritability, poor sleep, and may be accompanied by night terrors, crying, and talking in one's sleep.
Be wary of the carcinogenic effects of excessive carotene use
The traditional view is that supplementing with carotene not only reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cataracts but also has anti-cancer properties. However, many recent 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; instead, it was 28% higher.
Nutritionists analyze that supplementing with a physiological dose (5 mg/day) of carotene does have a cancer-suppressing effect. However, excessive intake of carotene will prevent vitamin A from binding to its corresponding receptors, thereby preventing the activation of tumor suppressor genes. The result is not cancer suppression but the opposite.
Therefore, the human body only needs to supplement with a physiological dose of carotene and must never arbitrarily increase the dosage. Normally, consuming natural foods rich in β-carotene, such as various animal livers, milk, carrots, chives, and tea, is sufficient.
V. Eating bitter melon that has not been blanched in boiling water
The oxalic acid in bitter melon can hinder the absorption of calcium from food. Therefore, before eating, the bitter melon should first be blanched in boiling water to remove the oxalic acid. People who need to supplement a large amount of calcium should not eat too much bitter melon.
VI. Eating too much spinach
Spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid and should not be eaten in excess. Oxalic acid in the body will form calcium oxalate and zinc oxalate with calcium and zinc, which are not easily absorbed and excreted. This affects the absorption of calcium and zinc in the intestines, easily leading to deficiencies that can cause poor development of bones and teeth and affect intellectual development.
VII. 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.
VIII. Storing cooked chives for too long
Leftover chives can become toxic. Chives are best cooked and eaten immediately and should not be stored for long. 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.
IX. Stewing green leafy vegetables for too long
Green leafy vegetables should not be stewed for too long during cooking. Otherwise, the nitrates in the green leafy vegetables will turn into nitrites, which can easily cause food poisoning in children.
Most frozen vegetables have already been blanched, so they do not need to be cooked for too long, otherwise they will become mushy and lose many nutrients.
X. Cold dishes are prone to causing poisoning
In the hot summer, cold dishes are a popular choice for many housewives. However, summer is when pests and diseases are active, and farmers tend to use more pesticides. Since cold dishes are not subjected to high-temperature cooking, if the pesticide residue exceeds the standard, they can be very harmful to the human body. Therefore, when eating cold dishes or raw vegetables, it is best to choose pollution-free green vegetables or organic vegetables.
Dishes like garlic and smashed cucumber, cold bean sprouts, wood ear lettuce with a savory dressing, and spicy radish shreds... on a hot summer day when people feel lazy and have no appetite, a plate of colorful, refreshing, and appetizing cold dishes can greatly increase one's appetite.
However, cold dishes are a high-risk food for food poisoning, especially when made with vegetables that exceed pesticide residue standards. The methods of eating them cold or raw are also high-risk. This is because vegetables can easily be contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and parasite eggs in the soil during their growth. In the summer, pests and diseases are relatively active, so the probability of excessive pesticide residue in vegetables is also higher.
How can these risks be avoided? First, for raw consumption, it is best to choose pollution-free green vegetables or organic vegetables. Vegetables grown in soilless cultivation can also be eaten raw without concern. If this is not possible, you should choose regular farmers' markets that test for pesticide residues and do not buy vegetables from unknown street vendors. Do not purchase vegetables with pesticide spots or a pungent smell. Second, before cooking, first wash the surface of the vegetables clean with water, then soak them in clean water for no less than 10 minutes. You can also use alkaline water or warm water for soaking.