The four enemies of Vitamin
 Vitamin is easily ruined. The 4 most dangerous enemies of vitamin are: oxidization, environment temperature and ultraviolet rays, the ways of cooking and industrial chemicals (detergent, ionization.)
Our body can not synthesize all kind of vitamins but it must be largely supplied by food. Vitamin plays a major to human's living. However, it is easily damaged in the natural environment, especially in cooking ways.
Wrong ways may get 95% of vitamin C and vitamin B1 disintegrated. They are the ones easily broken up; therefore they are used as indicators to maintain vitamins in our body. Vitamin C is particularly sensitive to the effects of oxygen; especially when environment temperature increases or copper ore and iron ore exist. 90%-95% of Vitamin C can be lost through cooking.
Vitamin A and beta-carotene is highly oxidized, especially when the light exists. Vitamin E is also sensitive to oxygen.
The acid content in the atmosphere also makes influence to vitamin's sensitiveness. Vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin B5, vitamin B9 and vitamin D are stable in neutral environment. But vitamin B1, B2, B6, vitamin E and vitamin K are more stable in acid environment.
How to maintain vitamins in vegetables and fruits
The really ripe products contain a lot of vitamins. As a result, it is the best to collect the ripe fruits and vegetables. Exceptionally, the green tomatoes are richer in vitamins than the red ones.
Selecting foods plays an important role to the quality and the appetizing of a meal. Vitamins in vegetables and fruits loose considerably after collecting. It could be lost a half of the total within 48 hours. Therefore, it is the best to buy ripe and fresh fruits appearing all year round.
The air and the light are enemies of vitamin. Accordingly, fresh foods should be placed in tight plastic bags at cool place. It should be prevented from keeping long even though they are reserved in refrigerator.
Vitamins often gather on the surface of vegetables, nuts, and fruits. As a result, in the process of making foods, the thinner skin you peel the better it is. Potatoes are only peeled after well-done cooking and fruits should be washed before having.
Most of vitamins can dissolve in the water. It should be prevented to get vegetables deep in the water. You should only wash them under the faucet and remember to pick the peduncles after washing up. Since vitamins are sensitive to the oxygen in the air, it should not be made fruit juice if it is not ready for use as well as it should not be put in the air for long lasting.
High temperature and overtime cooking may ruin vitamins. Putting foods deep in the water is not good as vitamins can be dissolved by temperature, pressure and the water. And it is more wasteful if you do not use it.
It is better to steam foods for vitamin reservation. The shorter the time of cooking and the lower the temperature is, the better it is. You should remember to cover the lid to prevent oxidization and vaporization. When doing cooking, the smaller you cut foods the more vitamins can be lost. If so, fruits should be let it be then peel and slice them. It should be cooked with little water. Vegetables should be put into pot when the water boils.
Add the broth some salt at the beginning as salt can limit the dissolution of vitamins and minerals.
How to preserve vitamins in fish
Fish contains much fat helpful to your health and prevents you from cardiovascular problems, obesity, and cancer and auto-immunization problems. When doing cooking, you should avoid making well-done as high temperature ruins vitamins and deforms helpful fatty substance. Fish should be dipped in salt.
Fish should be steamed as it is easily done. It should be cooked within a short time at low fire then put out when the broth boils and keep fish in pot with cover within 10 minutes.
How to preserve vitamins in meat?
It should be prevented from well-done cooking as high temperature may ruin vitamins and deform meat molecule. You should also prevent from grilled meat, burnt foods since temperature may deform molecule. Melt grease creates cancer-causing substance as benzopyreme.
Whatever foods or ways of cooking you may have it should be done at low fire and eaten as soon as possible. Vitamins content may loose much if food is kept long.
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