When cooking at home, we are more accustomed to using a knife to cut vegetables. But in fact, for vegetables that can be broken or torn by hand, it's best to avoid using a knife. Why is that?
If it's not for a banquet where aesthetics are important, hand-torn vegetables are the best method. This is because vitamin C, which is abundant in vegetables, is a nutrient that is very easily lost, and it is also found in relatively small amounts in other foods.
Vitamin C is not only afraid of heat but also of metal. When you cut vegetables, the cell walls are damaged, and the metal blade of the knife comes into direct contact with the vitamin C inside the cells. This causes the metal to accelerate the oxidation of vitamin C, destroying its activity. Therefore, hand-torn vegetables can better preserve the nutrients. Besides cabbage, other crisp and tender vegetables like bok choy, garlic scapes, romaine lettuce, and spinach are also suitable for being hand-torn.