Vegetable soup and boiled vegetables are common, simple dishes, easy to prepare and consume. Green vegetables offer numerous nutrients, helping to lower the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and cancer, among other health benefits.

Nutritionally, green vegetables contain organic acids, some of which can be harmful. These acids evaporate during cooking.

Therefore, when cooking vegetable soup, it is advisable to leave the pot uncovered. This allows harmful substances to escape and helps preserve chlorophyll and magnesium in the vegetables.

Sweet leaf soup. Photo: Bui Thuy

For green vegetables like water spinach, Malabar spinach, or watercress, boil water before adding them. Then, cover the pot and cook on high heat. Once the water boils again, remove the lid to let harmful acids evaporate.

It is important to pay attention to the initial preparation and cleaning of vegetables. Avoid soaking them for too long and wash them thoroughly before chopping to retain nutrients.

Doctor Dinh Tran Ngoc Mai

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University Medical Center TP HCM