Eating more vegetables is beneficial for your health. Cold-mixed vegetables are refreshing and can reduce nutrient loss. However, not all vegetables are suitable for eating raw; some are better cooked to facilitate nutrient absorption. The following vegetables should not be eaten raw and are best blanched first.
1. Wild vegetables such as purslane need to be blanched to thoroughly remove dust and small insects, preventing allergic reactions.
2. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. These nutrient-rich vegetables taste better after being blanched, and their abundant dietary fiber is also easier to digest.
3. Mustard family vegetables like turnips. They contain a substance called glucosinolate, which, upon hydrolysis, produces volatile mustard oil that aids in digestion and absorption.
4. Vegetables high in oxalic acid, such as spinach, bamboo shoots, and water bamboo. Oxalic acid combines with calcium in the intestines to form calcium oxalate, which is difficult to absorb and interferes with the body's calcium uptake. Therefore, before making a cold mix, they must be blanched in boiling water to remove most of the oxalic acid. Additionally, for vegetables like lettuce and water chestnuts, it is best to peel, wash, and blanch them in boiling water before eating to ensure they are more sanitary without affecting their taste and nutritional content.
5. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, taro, and Chinese yams must be cooked, otherwise the starch granules will not break down, making them indigestible. Kidney beans contain large amounts of saponin and hemagglutinin; if not cooked thoroughly, they can cause food poisoning. Kidney beans should be cooked for a long time, not a short one, until they are fully cooked and变色 (change color), before they can be safely eaten. Bean sprouts are best stir-fried; even if used in a cold mix, they must be cooked first.
Vegetables that can be eaten raw after a simple wash include tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and the heart of Chinese cabbage. The nutrients in these vegetables, such as vitamins C and B, are easily destroyed by processing and cooking, so eating them raw helps preserve their nutritional value.
A combination of raw and cooked vegetables is more beneficial for the body. For example, there are many varieties of radish. For eating raw, those that are juicy and less pungent are better. However, radishes are considered cooling foods, so people with a yin-deficient constitution are better off eating them cooked.