As a medical practitioner, I often encounter health problems caused by inappropriate eating habits in my outpatient clinics. An impressive example was when a middle-aged patient came to my clinic with an upset stomach. After learning more about his daily eating habits, I found that he cooked his own porridge for breakfast every morning, which sounded very healthy. However, in further conversation, I learned that he had a habit of adding alkali to his porridge, believing that it would make it more "tender" and cook faster.
Unbeknownst to the patient, this seemingly innocuous little change could actually be one of the causes of his stomach problems. What's more, doing so in the long term can also destroy the important nutrients in porridge, especially vitamin C and B vitamins, which are necessary to maintain our daily health.
Effect of alkaline substances on porridge
In Chinese cooking, some families are accustomed to adding a small amount of alkali when cooking porridge, believing that this can make the porridge smoother and more tender, and speed up the cooking process. But is this really beneficial? Let's take a closer look.
What is Alkaline?
Alkaline substances, usually chemical compounds that are capable of releasing hydroxide ions in water. Common alkaline substances in cooking include edible alkali (sodium carbonate) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). These substances react alkalinely when exposed to water and are sometimes used to adjust the pH of food and improve its texture and color.
The role of alkali in porridge
Improves taste: Alkali can make the rice grains of the porridge break faster, which can speed up the ripening of the porridge and make it look more delicate and smooth. This is because the alkaline environment can promote the dissolution and gelatinization of starch, making the porridge more viscous.
Faster cooking: The alkaline environment softens the rice grains, making them easier to cook, resulting in shorter cooking times. This is one of the reasons why many families choose to use alkali in the morning when time is of the essence.
However, despite the culinary benefits that the use of alkali can bring, it is a double-edged sword for the nutritional value and health effects of porridge.
Nutritional effects of alkali on porridge
Although the addition of alkali can improve the taste of the porridge and shorten the cooking time, it can also adversely affect the nutrients in the porridge. Under alkaline conditions, the vitamins in porridge, especially vitamin C and some B vitamins such as vitamin B1 (thiamine), are rapidly broken down. These vitamins are extremely unstable in an alkaline environment and are easily oxidized or broken down, reducing the overall nutritional value of the porridge.
In addition, alkaline substances may also affect the properties of proteins in food, alter their natural structure, and affect the digestion and absorption of proteins. While the effects may not be as significant as vitamin loss, long-term consumption of alkalizing foods may affect digestive health.
Effect of alkali on nutrition
When discussing the habit of adding alkali when cooking porridge, a key point of discussion is the effect of alkali on nutrients. While adding alkali can improve the taste and appearance of the porridge, making it smoother and shinier, it has a significant damaging effect on the vitamins and other nutrients in the porridge.
Alkali destroys vitamins
Alkaline substances have a great destructive effect on vitamin C and B vitamins, in particular. Vitamin C is highly oxidative and inactivated under alkaline conditions. For example, when alkali is added to porridge, vitamin C is quickly broken down, resulting in a significant decrease in its nutritional value. This is especially detrimental for people who rely on porridge as their primary source of vitamin C.
Similarly, B vitamins (e.g., vitamins B1, B2) can be destroyed in an alkaline environment. These vitamins are sensitive to heat and pH changes, and alkaline conditions accelerate their breakdown process, reducing the amount of B vitamins available for absorption in porridge.
Effects of alkali on proteins and minerals
In addition to vitamins, alkali can also affect the nature of the protein in porridge. Alkaline conditions can lead to the denaturation of proteins, which can make the texture of porridge more delicate, but it may also change the nutritional value and digestion and absorption rate of proteins.
For minerals, the alkaline environment may affect the bioavailability of some minerals. For example, an alkaline environment can increase the solubility of certain minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which may seem beneficial, but in reality this alteration may affect the absorption rate of these minerals because they may be in a form that is less easily absorbed.
Practical advice: how to cook porridge healthily
When cooking porridge, many families are accustomed to adding alkali to improve the taste of the porridge and speed up the cooking process. However, this practice can lead to the destruction of many important vitamins in porridge, especially vitamin C and certain B vitamins, affecting nutrient intake. Therefore, we recommend using the following methods to cook nutritious and healthy porridge to ensure that the nutritional value of the food is preserved and the taste is also enjoyed.
1. Choose the right material
Choose high-quality rice: The basic ingredient of porridge is rice, and choosing fresh, high-quality rice is the first step in making delicious porridge.
Increase multigrains: such as brown rice, millet, corn, etc., not only increase the nutritional value of porridge, but also enhance the taste and aroma of porridge.
2. Soak the rice in warm water
Before cooking the porridge, soak the rice in warm water for one to two hours. This can shorten the cooking time of porridge, and at the same time, the rice grains are easier to cook and are easier to be digested and absorbed by the human body.
3. Bring to a simmer
Using slow cooking can allow the rice grains to fully absorb water and expand, making the porridge softer and glutinous. Slow cooking also helps to keep the nutrients in the porridge intact.
4. Add nutritious ingredients
Vegetables: Vegetables such as pumpkin, carrots, and spinach not only add color to porridge, but also add fiber and vitamins.
Meat or legumes: such as chicken, lean pork, or tofu, add the right amount of protein to make the porridge more nourishing.
Nuts and seeds: such as walnuts and sesame seeds, add healthy fats and extra protein.
5. Avoid alkali
It is emphasized that alkali is not used as it destroys the vitamins and other nutrients in the porridge. Maintain the natural taste of food for healthier.
6. Pay attention to seasoning
Minimize the use of salt and sugar. For added flavor, consider adding a small amount of natural flavorings, such as sliced ginger, garlic, or coriander, which not only add flavor but also provide additional health benefits.