Salad from cooked vegetables must be prepared skillfully. How to cook vegetables so that they do not lose their nutritional value and the salad is wholesome? How to prevent salad vegetables from darkening right after slicing? What to pay attention to when preparing the salad? A quick guide for those who want to make the best salads.
Althoughsaladcan be eaten in every other bar,dietPoles are getting poorer invegetables . We eat nearly 10 kg of vegetables and fruit less than 10 years ago. This needs to be changed if we want to protect ourselves from frequent contacts with the he alth service. In our diet, vegetables and fruits should appear in every meal we eat. The ideal is 5 times a day. But the method of preparing salads and salads is equally important in order to preserve the most nutritional value of vegetables.
Salad - a recipe for success
Poles love tomatoes, especially in tomato soup. This is a manifestation of a he althy nutritional instinct, because it is from processed tomatoes that we absorb the most lycopene, a valuable phytochemical with anti-cancer properties. But other vegetables are more valuable fresh or short-cooked. Even the way the vegetables are cut is important. When we crush vegetables into a salad or salad, they often darken immediately after cutting, losing their nutritional value. This process is caused by the contact of the raw material with oxygen and enzymes released from damaged cells. To limit it:
- ensure quick peeling and grinding of products,
- use a very sharp, smooth knife for this (God forbid the ball, which tears and destroys plant cells, reducing their nutritional value),
- cool semi-finished products and ready meals,
- reduce oxygen availability (e.g. by quickly adding sauce or pickle),
- acidify the vegetables (e.g. by adding lemon juice).
All these treatments, thanks to the weakening of enzyme activity and limiting the access of oxygen, will reduce unwanted and unfavorable changes. It is also worth remembering that vegetables should be washed by rinsing, and not by soaking, which causes a large loss of water-soluble vitamins. - For peeling and cutting vegetables, do not use tools made of rusting materials, because contact with them accelerates the action of enzymesdecomposing vitamins - says Alicja Kalińska, expert of the campaign "It's time for a tomato, or how not to love Polish vegetables and fruit", Director of SetPoint Dietary Centers. - Additionally, vegetables must be peeled as thin as possible. And all this so as not to lower the vitamin content.
How to cook vegetables
Most vegetables should be cooked, covered, by throwing them in boiling water. It is also worth to put them in a skin that is peeled only after cooking. If you don't eat vegetables straight away, the rate at which they are chilled is also important. The sooner they are chilled, the better it is for the nutritional value and durability of the dish. If you cook vegetables as a separate dish (e.g. boiled broccoli), just pour them with cold water after cooking and put them in the refrigerator cool. If, on the other hand, vegetables are part of the dish (e.g. meat and vegetable stew), it is best to transfer the dish from the hot pot to a cold dish (additionally, the dish can be placed in cold water), and then put (already cold) in the fridge. Also remember not to use padded enamelware for storing and cooking vegetables, because, as in the case of rusting peeling or cutting tools, contact with rust accelerates the action of enzymes that break down vitamins. However, it is good to cook vegetables rich in carotene with the addition of fat, which increases the absorption of provitamin A and improves the appearance of the dish (carrots, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, sorrel, spinach, kale).
What to remember when preparing salads
Salad with leek and tomatoes, delicious carrot, with lettuce and cucumber … There are many ideas for the addition to the main course or the dish itself. They are made quickly, usually from what we have at hand, and they always taste great. When preparing the salad, however, remember to combine the vegetables present in it with the binding substance as soon as possible, i.e. with sauce, dressing or olive oil. If you use frozen products for its preparation, you should defrost them in the refrigerator - at a temperature of 4-8 ° C without light. Salads are best eaten immediately after preparation, especially those with tomatoes, or possibly within 2 to 6 hours after preparation (depending on the ingredients contained in it). Those with cooked vegetables keep their high value longer - for about a day.
It's time for a tomato
"It's time for a tomato, or how not to love Polish fruit and vegetables" is a nationwide social and educational campaign that aims to convince people to eat more vegetables and fruits. In selected cities in Poland, they are held in 2012.happening actions as part of the Summer with Radio tour, encouraging the consumption of fresh products and promoting Polish vegetables and fruit. The organizer of the activities financed by the Fruit and Vegetable Promotion Fund is the Federation of Industry Associations of Agricultural Producers. More information: www.poranapomidora.com and www.facebook.com/poranapomidora.