Many people like to thicken their sauces when cooking, but don't underestimate this step. Thickened dishes not only preserve nutrients well, but the sauce can also protect the gastric mucosa.
The thickener is mostly made by mixing starch and water. The starch gelatinizes at high temperatures, giving it a certain viscosity and a strong ability to absorb water and odors. In general dishes, the sauce is more flavorful than the main ingredients and also contains many nutrients like inorganic salts and vitamins. Thickening the sauce coats the ingredients, reducing the loss of nutrients from the food.
It is particularly worth mentioning that dishes with thickened sauce are suitable for people with stomach problems. This is because starch is a polysaccharide polymer formed from multiple glucose molecules. It can react with stomach acid to form a colloidal liquid that adheres to the stomach wall, creating a protective layer that prevents or reduces the direct stimulation of stomach acid on the stomach wall, thus protecting the gastric mucosa.