Use less oil and stir-fry quickly to better preserve folate when cooking vegetables
When it comes to folate supplementation, many people mistakenly believe it's a "patent" for pregnant women, used to nourish the blood and prevent miscarriage. However, blood experts point out that folate is an essential vitamin for everyone, a primary component in the production of red and white blood cells, and its deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia. Recent studies show that folate also protects the cardiovascular system, particularly by reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke in men and smokers, and can help prevent depression.
Folate is widely found in green leafy vegetables, as well as some fruits, legumes, nuts, and animal livers. For the general population, a balanced diet is usually sufficient to get enough folate from vegetables. However, due to its water-soluble nature, prolonged boiling can cause significant loss of folate. In contrast, stir-frying quickly with less oil can retain more folate.
In addition, improper washing methods can also lead to a significant loss of folate. Experts note that to remove residual pesticides and insecticides from vegetable leaves, many families are accustomed to soaking vegetables in water first. This method also causes considerable loss of water-soluble nutrients, including folate. To avoid this loss, vegetables should be soaked and washed before being cut and cooked.
Generally, green vegetables contain more folate, with spinach being the richest, containing as much as 347 micrograms of folate per 100 grams. Other vegetables high in folate include: lettuce, rapeseed, coriander, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, and cauliflower, among others.