Did you know that vitamin C, an important antioxidant for the body, is easily lost during vegetable processing? How to retain the maximum amount of this valuable vitamin? Let’s explore the following small but extremely effective tips!
Fresh vegetables are not only a rich source of fiber but also contain a large amount of vitamin C – a vitamin necessary for the immune system and skin health. However, if processed incorrectly, the amount of vitamin C in vegetables can be significantly reduced. Below are some good tips to help you retain the maximum amount of vitamin C in vegetables when processing.
Properly process vegetables to retain vitamin C
Vegetable dishes such as stir-frying, boiling, and soup are popular choices in daily meals. Although simple, if you are not careful, you can accidentally lose a large amount of vitamin C in vegetables. To retain nutritional value, apply the following tips:
- Boil vegetables when the water is boiling: Before adding vegetables, let the water boil completely. This not only helps vegetables cook faster and retain their green color, but also limits the loss of nutrients, especially vitamin C.
- Do not cut vegetables into small pieces: For vegetables to be boiled, you should leave them whole or just cut them into large pieces instead of cutting them into small pieces. This helps reduce the contact area with water, limiting the loss of vitamin C during the cooking process.
- Add salt when boiling vegetables: A little salt in the boiling water can protect vitamin C from being destroyed.
Boil vegetables when the water is boiling to retain vitamin C.
Notes during soup cooking
When cooking soup, adding vegetables at the right time is very important:
- Only add vegetables when the water is boiling: If you add vegetables when the water is still cold, vitamin C is easily dispersed and lost during the heating process.
- Use wooden or bamboo chopsticks: Metal chopsticks can destroy part of the vitamin C in food due to chemical reactions when exposed to heat. To ensure nutrition, use wooden or bamboo chopsticks to stir vegetables while cooking.
- Cooking in water: Make sure the vegetables are completely submerged in water when cooking to avoid contact with air, which will limit the decomposition of vitamin C.
Secret to stir-frying vegetables to preserve nutrients
Stir-frying vegetables is a quick and easy way to cook, but you need to pay attention to preserve vitamin C:
- Use a lot of cooking oil: When stir-frying, cooking oil creates a thin layer covering the vegetables, helping to reduce exposure to oxygen. Thanks to that, the vitamin C in vegetables is less likely to decompose. But be sure to choose healthy oils such as olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, etc. Stir-fry over high heat and
- quickly: This method helps vegetables cook evenly, become crispy and delicious, and retain as many vitamins as possible.
Stir-fry over high heat quickly to help vegetables cook evenly and retain vitamins.
Boiling vegetables properly
Boiled vegetables are a popular way of cooking, but to make vegetables delicious and not lose nutrients, you need to note:
- Boiled vegetable time: Especially with water spinach, the boiling time should not exceed 7 minutes. If boiled for too long, the vegetables will not only become mushy but also lose their green color and nutrients.
- Use a large pot with a lot of water: A large pot helps the vegetables cook evenly, the water boils faster, thereby reducing the boiling time and keeping the green color of the vegetables. When the vegetables are cooked, the boiled water will also cool quickly and not turn black.
Notes for steamed, fried and stir-fried dishes
In addition to boiling and cooking soup, other cooking methods such as steaming, frying and stir-frying also need attention to preserve vitamin C:
- Steamed dishes: Make sure to always cover the lid tightly so that the steam does not escape, keep the heat stable and help the vegetables cook evenly.
- Fried and stir-fried dishes: Use a lot of cooking oil to cover the vegetables, avoiding direct contact with air during the cooking process.
Steamed vegetables are light and provide extra vitamins for the body.
Do not reheat vegetables many times
Vitamin C is very sensitive to temperature, so do not reheat processed vegetables many times. It is best to eat vegetables within an hour of cooking to ensure nutrition.
Store fresh vegetables properly before processing
To keep vitamin C in vegetables right from the storage stage:
- Store in a cool place: Vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator to avoid dehydration and loss of nutrients.
- Do not wash vegetables before storing: This increases moisture, creates conditions for bacteria to grow and reduces nutritional value.
Vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator.
Cooking vegetables properly not only makes meals more delicious but also retains the amount of vitamin C needed for the body. The above tips to keep vitamin C in fresh vegetables when cooking, from boiling vegetables properly, choosing the right time to put vegetables in the pot to using the right cooking utensils, each step contributes to maximizing the nutritional value of vegetables. Apply the above tips to keep family meals always nutritious and good for health!
