90% of the human body's essential Vitamin C and 60% of Vitamin A come from vegetables. Furthermore, vegetables contain a wide variety of phytochemicals, which are widely recognized as beneficial components for health, such as carotenoids, diallyl compounds, and methylthio compounds. However, there are right and wrong ways to eat vegetables; eating them incorrectly can be fatal! Here are nine surprising misconceptions about eating vegetables.
Storing Vegetables for Too Long—
When fresh green vegetables are bought and stored at home without being eaten, they slowly lose some vitamins. For example, when spinach is left at 20°C for one day, it loses 84% of its Vitamin C. To store vegetables, they should be kept in a place that is away from light, well-ventilated, and dry.
Discarding the Part Richest in Vitamins—
For instance, when eating bean sprouts, some people only eat the sprouts and discard the bean halves. In fact, the bean halves contain 2-3 times more Vitamin C than the sprouts. Another example is squeezing out the juice when making vegetable dumpling fillings, which causes a loss of over 70% of the vitamins. The correct method is to mix the chopped vegetables with oil first, then add salt and seasonings. This way, the oil coats the vegetables, and the filling won't release its juices.
Stir-frying with a Low Flame—
Vitamin C and B1 are sensitive to heat and cooking. According to measurements, vegetables stir-fried over a high flame lose only 17% of their Vitamin C. If the vegetables are then simmered after stir-frying, the Vitamin C loss increases to 59%. Therefore, it's best to use a high flame when stir-frying. This not only makes the vegetables more colorful and delicious but also minimizes nutrient loss. Adding a little vinegar during cooking also helps preserve vitamins. Some vegetables, like cucumbers and tomatoes, are best eaten raw in a salad.
Not Eating Cooked Vegetables Immediately—
Some people, to save time, like to cook the vegetables in advance and keep them warm in the pot until everyone is ready to eat or reheat them for the next meal. In fact, during the process of keeping cooked vegetables warm, Vitamin B1 can be lost by up to 25%. For cooked cabbage, keeping it warm for 15 minutes can cause a 20% loss of Vitamin C; holding it for 30 minutes will lead to an additional 10% loss, and after an hour, another 20% will be lost. If the Vitamin C in green vegetables is lost by 20% during cooking and another 25% dissolves into the cooking water, and then it's kept warm for another 15 minutes with a 20% further loss, the total loss amounts to 65%. This leaves very little Vitamin C left in the vegetables.
Eating Vegetables but Not the Broth—
Many people enjoy eating vegetables but not the broth. In fact, when cooking, most of the vitamins dissolve into the cooking water. Taking Vitamin C as an example, after stir-frying bok choy, 70% of its Vitamin C will be in the broth. When fresh peas are boiled in water for 3 minutes, 50% of their Vitamin C dissolves into the water.
Cutting Vegetables Before Washing—
When washing and cutting vegetables, if you cut them first and then rinse them, a large amount of vitamins will be lost into the water.
Preferring Stir-fried Vegetables—
Some people, for the purpose of weight loss, avoid fat but prefer vegetables that are stir-fried with meat. Recently, researchers have found that vegetables with high water content have air-filled cells between them, while the cells of meat are filled with water. Therefore, vegetables are more likely to absorb oil. A dish of stir-fried vegetables can often contain more oil than a dish of fried fish or fried ribs.
Eating Only Vegetarian and No Meat—
Nowadays, more and more people are adopting a vegetarian diet, which is undoubtedly beneficial for preventing arteriosclerosis. However, a diet that is strictly vegetarian without proper balance is not necessarily healthy. Modern science has found that a strict vegetarian diet has at least four major drawbacks: First, it lacks necessary cholesterol, and an appropriate amount of cholesterol has anti-cancer properties. Second, it can lead to insufficient protein intake, which is a risk factor for digestive tract tumors. Third, it can result in an inadequate intake of riboflavin, leading to vitamin deficiencies. Fourth, it can cause a severe zinc deficiency, and zinc is a very important trace element that ensures a healthy immune system. Most vegetables are deficient in zinc.
Liking to Eat Raw Vegetables Without Washing Them Thoroughly—
The contamination of vegetables is often from pesticides or mold. Pesticide poisoning from eating vegetables occurs from time to time. Vegetables are also a host for mold, and most molds are not water-soluble; some can even survive in boiling water. They can penetrate several millimeters deep into the surface of vegetables. Therefore, vegetables must be washed and soaked thoroughly with clean water, peeled, and old, yellowed, or rotten leaves should be discarded without hesitation. This is especially important when eating vegetables raw; otherwise, it will harm your health.