Many people like to add a bit of vinegar when cooking, but did you know? Adding vinegar to some dishes can destroy the nutritional value of the vegetables! Let's see what they are!
The most outstanding nutrient in carrots is carotene. After the human body ingests carotene, it can be converted into vitamin A. Vitamin A is a key nutrient for protecting vision, keeping skin moisturized, and preventing aging. Unlike some other nutrients, carotene is not afraid of heat, so it doesn't get lost during stir-frying; on the contrary, it becomes more easily absorbed by the body. However, carotene also has a weakness: it's afraid of acetic acid, because acetic acid can cause carotene to decompose. In cold salads, it's not a big issue, because the carotene released is minimal, and the acetic acid content in vinegar is not very high, so the carotene won't be significantly destroyed. But it's different after carrots are heated. On one hand, after heating, a large amount of carotene is released from the carrots. On the other hand, heating speeds up chemical reactions, accelerating the decomposition of carotene. If you add vinegar at this point, the acetic acid in the vinegar will destroy the carotene, causing a loss of nutrients. Therefore, when stir-frying or stewing carrots, do not add vinegar.
Finally, red bell peppers, pumpkin, pea shoots, celery, etc., are also rich in carotene. If you want to retain the carotene in these vegetables, it's best not to add vinegar when cooking them with heat, such as stir-frying, boiling, or stewing.