18/07/2020
Are you destroying your vegetables?
Various surveys stated by USDA and FAO has revealed the fact that “About 40% of Indians are pure vegetarians and about 30% of Indians who claim to be eating non-veg foods are not regular meat-eaters. They tend to eat non-vegetarian foods only once a week”. This elucidates that we belong to a population that consumes vegetables on a large scale!
The sad part is, even though most of us consume vegetables regularly, we still lack the basic skills of how to handle vegetables. Many of us don’t even know how to select and buy vegetables from the market, we don’t know what is the right way to cook them and we are not aware of the right way to store them! Well, here we are to guide you about the basics of handling vegetables!!!
How to pick and choose vegetables?
Please remember that we are not going to teach you how to select every vegetable! But we are going to list down a few basic tips that you need to remember while choosing the vegetables from a market.
• Make sure the vegetables are fresh, firm, crisp, and brightly coloured
• Avoid vegetables which have any cut or crack or damage or any abnormal discolouration
• Avoid vegetables that are too soft or soggy or if it gives an off flavour
Once you are done with the purchase, make sure you carry it in such a way that the soft & tender vegetables are on the top and the firm and hard ones can go to the bottom of your carry bag.
How to store them?
Most of us have the habit of dumping all the vegetables into the refrigerator as soon as we bring it home. This is strictly not advisable! The moment we take the vegetables inside our house, we need to sort them out, then wash them thoroughly in running water before storing them. After washing, allow them to drip and dry before storage, as excess moisture in the vegetables can lead to spoilage!
In case you are going to use them immediately for cooking, you can wash it with hot water, turmeric, and a little salt. This helps in removing all the germs on the outer layer of the vegetable. This will be a more suitable procedure for vegetables that grow under the soil or very close to the soil like potato, sweet potato, cabbage, and cauliflower to name a few.
Some of us have the habit of cutting vegetables and storing them. In such cases, we can ideally put the vegetables in an airtight container, which helps in preventing the vegetables from getting oxidized or from turning brown. If you would like to keep the vegetables only for a few minutes until cooking, then you can cut them into larger pieces and put them in the bowl of water. You can take it out when you are about to cook it. In the case of green leafy vegetables, you can wash them thoroughly and wrap them up in a clean cloth and put it in an airtight container. This will keep it fresh for longer hours.
How to prepare the vegetables for cooking?
Pre-preparation techniques have a major effect on the nutrient losses associated with cooking vegetables. Right from washing, peeling, cutting or grating, every process has a different effect on the nutritive value of the vegetables.
While washing vegetables, please ensure that you wash them well before cutting. Washing vegetables after cutting or peeling them can lead to a lot of nutrient loss. Even while peeling, try to use a good quality peeler or a sharp knife which helps you in removing the peel without removing the inner contents of the vegetable. There are a lot of water-soluble vitamins found under the skin of vegetables, so where ever and whenever possible, try to have vegetables along with their skin. In situations where you cannot consume the skin, then please blanch the vegetables for a few minutes so that some amount of the nutrients will get retained by the vegetable.
While cutting vegetables, make sure that you don’t cut them into very small pieces and in case you are going to sauté or fry the vegetables, then avoid using grated vegetables. The smaller the size of the vegetable, the greater will be the nutrient loss during cooking. So, try to cut them into larger pieces and you can cut them out into different shapes to make them look more attractive and appealing.
How to cook them?
Now we have arrived at the most important part and this is where we tend to make the most mistakes. Even after making so many wise decisions about choosing the vegetables, washing them and preparing them for cooking, if we don’t choose the proper cooking methods, then all these efforts will go in vain.
Steaming and pressure cooking is some of the best methods for cooking vegetables. In both cases, the vegetable is not exposed to a large amount of water or oil, hence the nutrient losses are minimal. The cooking duration in pressure cooking is shorter, which makes it ideal for conserving the nutrients as well as fuel.
While boiling or sautéing vegetables, make sure that there no excess water or oil is used. In case there is excess water being used, you can drain the water, add salt and pepper to it and have it like an appetizer or you can use it for cooking other dishes like gravies. Check for the colour changes during cooking. Usually, vegetables turn brighter during boiling whereas they turn darker during frying. The darker it gets, the more harmful effects it can cause.
While cooking vegetables, try not to add any sour or acidic ingredients like lemon, tomatoes or vinegar at the beginning itself. The main reason for cooking vegetables is to make them soft and palatable, whereas these acidic ingredients can make them firm and delay the process of cooking. So, always try to add such ingredients during the later part of cooking. In case of emergencies, adding a pinch of baking soda can speed up the cooking process and makes the vegetables soft (This should not be done regularly as it can cause abdominal bloating).
How to consume them?
Vegetables cab be a part of every meal, snack and even beverages. Try to ensure not to overcook them to minimize nutrient loss. Even while making smoothies or juices out of vegetables, try to blend them well and have it without any artificial flavours or sweeteners. Choose your ingredients in such a way that they automatically boost the taste as well as the health benefits of the beverage. Straining of juices not only reduces the fiber content but can also lead to the loss of various vitamins and minerals found in them.
Please remember that you are what you eat.
Make smart food choices, eat well, and stay fit!
