Chef Ahn Seong-jae, a judge on the Netflix reality variety show 'Black and White Chef: The Cooking Class War,' said, "I emphasize the degree of doneness of vegetables," which has become a meme and is a daily topic of conversation. Depending on the type, vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked to help absorb nutrients. We looked into how to prepare each type of vegetable.

 

◇Carrots, tomatoes, and eggplants should be cooked before eating

 

If vegetables contain many fat-soluble nutrients, it is better to cook them before eating. Fat-soluble nutrients such as beta-carotene and lycopene are not destroyed by heating. On the other hand, vegetables rich in water-soluble nutrients are better eaten raw. Water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and polyphenols are very sensitive to heat. Glucosinolates, which are known to have anticancer effects, are also water-soluble and tend to be heat-sensitive.

Vegetables that are good to eat when heated include carrots, pumpkins, and tomatoes. When carrots are eaten raw, about 10% of the beta-carotene nutrients inside are absorbed. However, when cooked, the absorption rate increases to over 60%. A study conducted in Italy found that carrots contain more carotenoids when boiled compared to raw or steamed. Pumpkins are also rich in beta-carotene, so boiling is recommended. Tomatoes can be eaten boiled or stir-fried. According to a research team at Cornell University in the United States, when tomatoes are heated at 87°C for 2, 15, and 30 minutes, lycopene content increases by 6%, 17%, and 35%, respectively. Lycopene has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and helps with cardiovascular health.

 

It is also good to roast and eat eggplants. When roasted, moisture escapes, increasing the nutritional density, allowing for more effective intake of the antioxidant compound anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is heat-resistant and does not break down when roasted. Spinach and water parsley are rich in beta-carotene, so applying heat is beneficial, but they are also abundant in vitamin C, so lightly blanching them is better. Blanching in boiling water for about 30 seconds destroys the cell walls through heat, allowing beta-carotene to be released more easily.

 

◇Cabbage and radish should be eaten raw

 

Radish, which is often used in soup dishes, loses almost all of its nutrients when boiled thoroughly. The main component of radish, diastase, is an enzyme that aids digestion, but it is heat-sensitive and its effectiveness diminishes at just 50 degrees Celsius. In particular, peeling the skin, which contains many antioxidants, and boiling it further increases nutrient loss. It is better to wash the radish thoroughly with diluted vinegar water and eat it with the skin on, or if that's burdensome, to lightly heat it before eating.

 

Vegetables with dark green colors like lettuce and kale contain a lot of folate, a type of vitamin B. Folate is easily destroyed by heat, so it is better to eat them as wraps or salads. Chives are rich in allyl sulfide, which helps maintain vascular health. Since allyl sulfide is destroyed when heated above 70 degrees Celsius, it is better to eat chives raw.

 

Cabbage is also rich in nutrients such as vitamin C and glucosinolates, which are sensitive to heat, so it is best eaten raw. It has a crunchy texture due to its high dietary fiber content and can be comfortably eaten raw. If you dislike eating it whole, slicing it thinly and eating it as a salad is also an option.

 

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Cabbage. Radish tastes so good when eaten raw.

Especially, the biting light green part is the sweetest and the best, haha.

 

I like raw ginseng.

It seems that the more you learn, the better it gets.

Of course. Tomatoes are also delicious when eaten raw.

 

It becomes more effective when you get used to it.