Tips for Making Cold Salad

As the weather warms up, many people prefer to eat fresh and crisp vegetables raw. According to Tang Xiaowei, a deputy researcher from the National Vegetable System Engineering Center, nutrients such as vitamin C and B are easily destroyed by processing and cooking; eating them raw helps preserve these nutrient components. However, not all vegetables can be eaten raw. Some should be blanched in boiling water before consumption;others must be thoroughly cooked before being eaten.

Vegetables that can be eaten raw after washing include raddish,,white radish,,tomato,,pepper, and mustard greens.Tang Xiaowei said that it is best to choose pesticide-free green or organic vegetables for raw consumption. Vegetables produced in soil-less conditions can also be safely eaten raw. Methods of raw consumption include drinking homemade fresh vegetable juice, or lightly marinating them withvinegar, and a small amount of salt.Blanching is recommended for certain categories of vegetables: the first category includes cruciferous vegetables like

broccoli and cauliflower, which are more enjoyable to eat after blanching and the fiber in them becomes easier to digest.The second category consists of vegetables with high levels of oxalic acid, such as spinach,,bamboo shoots, and taro. Oxalic acid can combine with calcium in the intestine to form insoluble calcium oxalate, interfering with calcium absorption. Thus, it is necessary to blanch these vegetables before cooling them and eating; this process removes most of the oxalic acid.The third category includes mustard greens, such as daikon radish. They contain substances called thioglucosides that release volatile mustard oils after being cooked, aiding digestion. The fourth category is vegetables like Chinese cabbage mallow,which should be blanched to remove dust and small insects, and prevent allergic reactions. For vegetables such aslettuce,and water chestnut, peeling them, washing them thoroughly, and briefly boiling them before eating can ensure hygiene without affecting their taste or nutritional value. Not all vegetables are suitable for making salads. Starchy vegetables likeAdditionally,potato,,taro, and

yam must be cooked, as the starch granules will not break down otherwise and are difficult for the body to digest.Uncooked broad bean pod contains large amounts of saponins and hemagglutinin. Consuming it uncooked can lead to poisoning; therefore, cooking time should be extended until they are thoroughly cooked and changed in color before consumption.,Bean sprouts should be stir-fried before being used for salads, even if you plan on cooling them down afterward.Fresh black fungus and fresh yellow flower vegetable contain toxins and are not edible. When cooking dried black fungus, it is advisable to soak it in warm water before use; parts that remain tightly closed after soaking should be avoided. Dried yellow flower vegetables should be soaked in cold water instead."Eating raw or cooked vegetables alternately benefits the body more," Tang Xiaowei said. For example, among the radish varieties, those with a lot of juice and less spiciness are better suited for raw consumption, but as cooling foods, they should be eaten cautiously by people with yin deficiency constitution.The nutritional content absorbed from certain foods can vary between raw and cooked forms. For instance, the lycopene in tomatoes, which reduces the risk of prostate and liver cancer, is best consumed through cooking.

However, if you want to obtain vitamin C, raw consumption yields better results, as it is easily lost during cooking.Cooking time for broad bean pod should be extended until they are thoroughly cooked and changed in color; otherwise, they can lead to poisoning. Some contain toxins and are not edible. When cooking dried black fungus, it should be soaked in warm water before cooking; the parts that remain tightly compressed after soaking should not be eaten.dry yellowflower rape it is better to soak them in cold water.

"Eating vegetables both raw and cooked is more beneficial to health," Tang Xiaowei said. For example, radishes come in many varieties; those with more juice and less pungency are suitable for raw consumption, but they belong to cool-natured foods, so people with yin deficiency should prefer cooked consumption. Some foods have different nutritional components when consumed raw or cooked. For instance, tomatoes contain lycopene which can reduce the risk of prostate cancer and liver cancer; it is better to consume them after cooking. But if you want to intake vitamin C, eating them raw will be more effective because this nutrient easily dissipates during cooking.