1. Storing large amounts of food: Either because of being busy or lazy, many people buy a lot of food at once and stuff it into the refrigerator.
The truth: The longer food is stored, the larger the surface area exposed to air and light, and the more nutrients are lost. For every extra day green leafy vegetables are stored, vitamins decrease by 10%; if spinach is left at room temperature for 4 days, folate is lost by 50%; and after 3 months in the freezer, fish loses about 30% of its vitamins A and E. 2. Refined rice and white flour are delicious: During processing, the more refined it is, the more vitamins and minerals are lost, because B vitamins, dietary fiber, and inorganic salts are all in the seed's husk and germ.
The truth: Coarse grains are not just about variety, but also about the processing method. 3. I just love eating all kinds of meat: Meat is acidic food, and when you eat a lot of acidic food, your body's blood can become more acidic.
The truth: The body will use alkaline components like sodium and calcium to neutralize the excess acid in the body, causing a loss of these two nutrients. So it's best to eat some fresh vegetables and fruits along with meat. 4. Freezing leftover food: Have you ever thawed a large piece of meat, cut off the part you need, and then frozen the rest again?
The truth: Repeatedly freezing and thawing fish and meat can lead to the loss of various nutrients such as protein and vitamins, and it may also increase the risk of bacterial contamination. It's best to cut the meat into small portions when it's fresh, package them separately, and take out only what you need to eat. 5. Longer cooking time makes rice taste better: The longer rice and dishes are cooked and the higher the temperature, the more nutrients are lost.
Solution: Steaming and boiling times should be controlled to about 20 minutes. Avoid frying, and do not cook meat for more than 2 hours. 6. Copper and aluminum pots are also very useful: Stainless steel, iron, and glass are all good choices for cookware.
The truth: When heated, aluminum pots increase the loss of vitamin C, while copper is known as the "enemy of vitamins." Cooking acidic foods like tomatoes and lemons in an iron pot can increase the absorption of active iron by ten times. 7. Vegetable leaves are not tasty: We often throw away celery leaves and lettuce leaves.
The truth: The outer skins and leaves of vegetables are rich in nutrients. For example, the content of carotene and calcium in lettuce leaves is 5.4 times higher than in the stems.
Quick tips for retaining nutrients in different foods Vegetables: Stir-fry over high heat
Vitamins B and C in vegetables are most afraid of heat. The longer they are cooked, the more nutrients are lost. When making vegetable soup, add the vegetables after the water has boiled to minimize their cooking time in water. Meat: Eat with the broth
Different cooking methods affect the nutrients in meat differently. When braising or stewing, vitamins and minerals in the meat dissolve into the broth, while steaming or boiling may cause protein to break down. Therefore, it's best to eat the broth along with the meat. Noodles: Steaming is better than boiling
Because boiled noodles and dumplings cause nutrients in the pasta to leach into the soup, it's best to drink the soup when eating them. Fried pasta products contain almost no vitamins.