Introduction: Some vegetables are better for your health when eaten raw, as this preserves more nutrients. However, these vegetables may contain oxalic acid, and large amounts can be hard on the digestive system. Therefore, it is best to blanch vegetables before eating them raw. Experts recommend that blanching with salt water is healthier.
Benefits of Blanching Vegetables
First, it can remove residual pesticides. Secondly, for vegetables high in oxalic acid, such as spinach, water bamboo, and water spinach, blanching them in boiling water prevents the oxalic acid from being absorbed by the body, which can combine with calcium to form kidney stones. Furthermore, it can remove some of the spicy, bitter, or astringent tastes from certain vegetables. Lastly, when making cold salads, blanching the vegetables first kills the microorganisms on their surface. This not only makes them safer to eat but also improves their color.
Blanching with Salt Water is Better
From a nutritional perspective, after blanching, water-soluble nutrients in vegetables are lost, as beneficial substances like vitamin C, B vitamins, and carotene leach into the cooking water.
However, if 1% salt is added to the boiling water, creating a solution similar to a physiological saline, the vegetables are in a relatively balanced environment of internal and external concentration, which slows down the diffusion of their soluble components into the water. Remember not to add too much salt; about half a spoonful for a large pot of water is sufficient.