In the search for health and nourishment, the bridge between traditional culinary wisdom and modern scientific research is constantly discussed. Slow-simmered broth has long been regarded by many families as a nutritious sacred, with a generational understanding and a deep desire for health. This cooking method, with its mild and long heat, is known to be able to transfer the essence of the ingredients into the soup intact, bringing both satisfying taste and health enjoyment to drinkers.
However, when we revisit this traditional practice through the lens of science, we may find that things are not as simple as they seem. In recent years, advances in nutritional science and food technology have allowed us to gain a more precise understanding of how ingredients change under different cooking conditions, including the retention and loss of nutrients, and the possible formation of compounds that may be beneficial or harmful to health.
Simmering over low heat has long been hailed as the best way to extract the nutrients from ingredients. However, when we dig deeper, this traditional cooking method accelerates the loss of certain nutrients to some extent, especially those that are more heat-sensitive. For example, vitamin C and certain B vitamins gradually break down under prolonged exposure to high temperatures, reducing the nutritional value of food.
Specifically, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that promotes iron absorption and strengthens the immune system. However, it is highly susceptible to oxidation during heating and is dissipated with steam after dissolving in water. In addition, B vitamins (such as vitamin B1) are also very sensitive to heat, and these nutrients are gradually lost to the stew during prolonged stewing, which can be greatly reduced if not consumed with the soup.
In addition, certain minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, can also dissolve in water during prolonged cooking, resulting in a loss of nutrients. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable when using traditional simmering methods, as these minerals gradually decrease as the cooking water evaporates.
Therefore, although the broth is delicious and simmered, this method is not the best choice from the perspective of nutrient preservation. Understanding this, especially for those who are pursuing a healthy diet, suggests that we should pay more attention to the preservation of nutrients during the cooking process, not just taste.
Prolonged high-temperature cooking can not only lead to the loss of nutrients, but may also promote the production of certain substances that are not good for health. During prolonged meat stewing, free amino acids produced by protein breakdown may react with sugars to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that are ubiquitous in processed foods. When these substances accumulate in excess in the body, they increase chronic inflammation and are associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and abnormal glucose metabolism.
On the other hand, prolonged high-temperature cooking can also lead to the oxidation of fats and the formation of lipid peroxide. The accumulation of these substances in the body can cause damage to cell membranes and interfere with normal cell function, thereby increasing the risk of disease. Unsaturated fatty acids, in particular, are more susceptible to oxidation at high temperatures.
Therefore, choosing a proper cooking method and avoiding excessive heat heating for too long is essential to maintain food nutrition and reduce the formation of harmful substances. It's not just about the nutritional value of the food, it's about long-term health.
In the face of the possible loss of nutrients and health risks caused by simmering over low heat, it has become an urgent need to explore more scientific cooking methods. Pressure cookers are an ideal choice because of their unique working principle. In a closed environment, the pressure cooker is able to reach higher temperatures in a shorter time, which not only significantly reduces the cooking time, but also effectively reduces the loss of nutrients and the formation of harmful substances.
Using a pressure cooker to cook broth preserves the original flavor of the broth while maximizing the preservation of water-soluble vitamins and minerals in the ingredients. In addition, due to the shorter cooking time, the amount of harmful substances produced by protein and fat breakdown is also reduced, which is beneficial for maintaining health.
Once you know the ideal way to cook broth, it's just as important to incorporate it into a healthy diet. In the daily diet, we should pay attention to the balance of nutrition, and make a reasonable combination of vegetables and meat to ensure that you can enjoy both delicious taste and adequate nutrient intake.
For example, when making broth, you can add some vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as tomatoes, green peppers, etc., which can not only add flavor to the broth, but also make up for the loss of vitamin C during cooking to some extent. At the same time, choosing fiber-rich vegetables to eat together can also help improve gut health and promote nutrient absorption.
Finally, it is important to plan your diet and not rely too much on a single food or cooking method. A varied diet can not only meet the body's needs for different nutrients, but also avoid the health risks caused by excessive intake of harmful substances that may be present in food.
From the above**, it is not difficult to find that although the slow-simmering broth is traditionally regarded as a nourishing product, the scientific perspective tells us that reasonable choice of cooking methods and eating strategies is more important to ensure food nutrition and personal health. While enjoying food, we should also pay attention to its impact on health, which is something that everyone who pursues a healthy lifestyle should consider.