Eat for a healthy life! Tan Dunci's 6 must-eat vegetables during Chinese New Year

The Lunar New Year is approaching, and housewives are worried that the vegetable markets will be closed during the New Year period, so they often rush to buy New Year's goods and fruits before the New Year. However, there are many kinds of vegetables that are abundant in winter, each with its unique taste and nutritional value. How should we choose and eat them to bring good health and good luck? Safe cooking expert Tan Dunci recommends not to miss out on 6 great vegetables during the Chinese New Year.

Tan Dunci: Calories are the most toxic, don’t eat just for the sake of eating

Tan Dunci, the widow of the late "heroic doctor" Lin Jieliang, is also a nurse in the clinical toxicology department of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Regarding the behavior of housewives buying large quantities of New Year's goods and fruits and vegetables before the Chinese New Year, she reminded them that "calories are the most toxic, don't eat just for the sake of eating". Excessive intake can easily lead to obesity and increase the risk of various chronic diseases and cancer; throwing away food that is not finished is not only not environmentally friendly, but also causes waste.

Don’t overbuy! Don’t store fresh vegetables for more than 5 days

Vegetables are low in calories and rich in dietary fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar, and can also assist gastrointestinal motility and bowel movements, prevent constipation, maintain intestinal flora ecology, and promote health. Nurse Tan Dunci reminds that when purchasing New Year vegetables in advance, one should focus on those that are in season. One can choose more root vegetables that can be stored for a long time. However, natural food is easy to spoil and should not be stored for more than 5 days. People should not over-buy. There are now many supermarkets and fresh food hypermarkets, making it convenient to buy food ingredients and it is not necessary to stock up in large quantities.

6 Healthy Vegetables You Must Eat During Chinese New Year

Among the many types of winter vegetables, white radish, cabbage, onion, tomato, bamboo shoots and cauliflower have a relatively longer shelf life than leafy vegetables, and each has a unique natural sweet taste, making them a must-eat ingredient during the New Year. Nurse Tan Dunci shared her exclusive cooking secret. Just boil Chinese cabbage, onions and tomatoes with water to make a vegetable soup base with natural sweetness.

What’s the best way to cook vegetables? Nurse Tan Dunci has given detailed instructions in her new book "Tan Dunci's Safe Kitchen Cookbook". The following excerpts are for public reference. As for the storage secret, it is recommended to wrap the vegetables with kitchen paper and put them in a plastic bag before putting them in the refrigerator to prevent them from getting damp and moldy. Both kitchen paper towels and newspapers can be reused; however, newspapers contain ink and are not recommended as a substitute for kitchen paper towels.

1. White radish: Try to choose winter radishes that have a smooth surface and feel heavy. After buying the radish, first cut off the green head and apply salt on the cut to keep it fresh and tender. Then wrap the outside with a reusable kitchen towel and store it in the refrigerator with the cut side facing up. Before cooking, scrub the skin with a soft-bristled brush, rinse it 2 or 3 times, peel it and wash it once with water. Then cut it into pieces and blanch it in a pot to allow the nitrate to disappear before cooking.

2. Chinese cabbage: Depending on the amount you want to eat, peel and wash the leaves one by one, wrap the remaining parts with kitchen towels, put them in a plastic bag, and then store them in the refrigerator. When cooking, it is recommended to cut into bite-sized pieces of 10 to 12 cm. If the pieces are cut too small, nutrients will be easily lost. After putting the vegetables into the pot, add an appropriate amount of water and do not cover the pot. This will help the residual pesticides dissolve in the water or evaporate.

3. Onion: The storage method of onion is quite special. Before putting it in the refrigerator, do not wrap it with kitchen paper but with aluminum foil to prevent it from sprouting.

4. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, but heating with oil will help release the fat-soluble vitamins and be absorbed by the human body. Therefore, don’t forget to add a few drops of vegetable oil when cooking tomatoes. When choosing tomatoes, remember to pick those with stems, as they have a protective effect. When storing them, first put a layer of kitchen paper towels in the refrigerator with the tomato stems facing downwards, which will help the paper towels absorb moisture and prevent mold.

5. Bamboo shoots: When purchasing, it is advisable to choose those with no strange smell, flat cut surface, fresh appearance, golden tip, golden or slightly brown shell, complete body, and unopened leaves. The surface does not necessarily have to have soil. When cleaning, use a soft-bristled brush under the tap to remove dirt from the bamboo shoots, then peel off the bamboo shoots and rinse them 2 or 3 times with clean water before cooking. For uncooked bamboo shoots, you can first boil them in a pot, then turn off the heat and soak them in boiling water. After they cool down, put them and the pot in the refrigerator.

6. Cauliflower: Green broccoli has a crisp taste, while white broccoli has a delicate taste. Both are cruciferous vegetables with high nutritional value. It is recommended to use the blanching cooking method. Add water, salt and a few drops of oil to the pot. After the water boils, put in the chopped cauliflower and blanch it before serving. Blanching vegetables with salt has an antioxidant effect and can make the color of vegetables more beautiful.