One Mistake: Pouring milk into a pot and bringing it to a boil over high heat
When boiling milk, first, the heating should be rapid to quickly raise the temperature. Never place the milk pot on the stove before the flame is strong. Second, do not let the milk boil. Once you see a lot of foam rising on the surface, promptly remove it from the center of the flame and let it sit for a moment.
Correct Method: When boiling eggs, place them in cold water, then slowly increase the heat. After the water comes to a boil, simmer on low heat for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them soak for another 5 minutes. This method results in tender egg whites and firm, not overcooked, yolks.
Two Mistakes: Filling the pot with more than half water when boiling eggs
Place the eggs in and boil until the water is almost gone, sometimes even causing the eggs to crack. If eggs are boiled improperly, both the whites and yolks become very hard, which is not good for digestion and absorption.
Correct Method: Place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them soak for 5 more. This yields tender egg whites and yolks that are set but not overcooked.
Three Mistakes: Repeatedly rinsing rice until the water is clear
Correct Method: When rinsing rice, use more water and wash it quickly twice. According to experiments, Vitamin B1 in rice is reduced by 70% after one wash and 80% after two. Vitamin B1 not only stimulates appetite but also maintains normal gastrointestinal motility and digestive juice secretion, and participates in normal sugar metabolism. A lack of Vitamin B1 affects sugar metabolism and disrupts the normal activity of nerve cells.
Four Mistakes: Frequently making dishes that are double-fried (first fried, then stir-fried)
Fried foods contain large amounts of free radicals, peroxides, and carcinogens, increasing the risk of cancer. Moreover, high temperatures destroy nutrients in food such as Vitamins A, E, and D, leaving them almost devoid of nutrition.
Correct Method: Reduce high-heat stir-frying. Instead, use cooking methods like steaming, braising, blanching, or boiling. Choose vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, tea tree oil, or peanut oil.
Five Mistakes: Often eating leftover food
Repeatedly cooked leftovers can lose many nutrients, including B vitamins, Vitamin C, and folic acid. Long-term consumption can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the nitrite content in leftovers increases, leading to more carcinogens. Some people are reluctant to discard soups or broths, which can lead to excessive intake of purine-rich foods, increasing uric acid levels and causing gout.
Correct Method: Try using cold dishes for dinner. Note that nutrients like Vitamin C, B2, E, K, folic acid, and pantothenic acid are easily lost when exposed to heat and light. Therefore, it's best to store ingredients in a covered, opaque container before refrigerating to prevent odor and preserve freshness.
Six Mistakes: Cutting vegetables first and then washing them (or soaking them in water)
Correct Method: Soak and wash the whole vegetables first. Before cooking, do not rinse for too long, generally no more than 10 minutes.
Seven Mistakes: Blanching vegetables in cold water and slowly heating when stir-frying
Correct Method: Blanch vegetables in boiling water and stir-fry over high heat. Quick stir-frying over a high flame shortens cooking time and reduces nutrient loss. For example, pork is rich in Vitamin B1. When cut into shreds and stir-fried over high heat, the loss of Vitamin B1 is about 13%, whereas when cut into chunks and simmered gently, the loss is about 65%.
Eight Mistakes: Discarding the part of the food richest in vitamins
Correct Method: For example, with bean sprouts, some people only eat the sprouts and discard the bean pods. In fact, the bean pods contain 2-3 times more Vitamin C than the sprouts. Also, when making vegetable dumplings, squeezing out the juice from the filling causes a loss of over 70% of the vitamins. The correct method is to mix the chopped vegetables with oil before adding salt and seasonings; this coats the vegetables and prevents them from releasing water.
Nine Mistakes: Juicing fruits to eat more of them
Correct Method: It's better to eat fruits whole. For an apple, one to one-and-a-half per day is sufficient for an adult. If you juice it, one apple is definitely not enough; sometimes it takes three or four. This无形中 (unconsciously) leads to excessive intake of fructose and glucose, which the body cannot metabolize easily and can lead to health problems.