Should bean sprouts be eaten raw or cooked?

Should we eat bean sprouts raw to provide more fiber or boiled to avoid toxins and kill disease-causing bacteria? (Xuan, 29 years old, Ha Giang ).

Reply:

Bean sprouts contain many nutrients such as protein, vitamins B, C, E, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc. Bean sprouts are also rich in fiber, eaten raw or cooked with meat and vegetables. This is a good food for people with cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, blood cholesterol, cancer. Depending on each person's taste, they can be eaten raw or cooked.

In fact, eating raw bean sprouts can absorb more vitamins and minerals. However, the environment for growing bean sprouts is hot and humid, making it easy to be infected with two common bacteria: Salmonella and E.coli. When poisoned, the patient has symptoms of nausea, fever, abdominal cramps, frequent diarrhea, and bloody stools. In addition, many bean sprout growing facilities spray stimulants to harvest quickly, making food susceptible to chemical contamination. In the long run, chemicals will accumulate in the body, affecting health. Raw food is not good for the elderly, people with weak immune systems, or people with digestive diseases.

Blanching food in boiling water can kill bacteria, giving you peace of mind, especially for people with digestive and intestinal diseases. You can cook bean sprouts with other foods to enhance the flavor and make it richer.

However, high temperatures kill bacteria but not toxins. Many foods have all the bacteria killed but the toxins remain, still having the risk of poisoning, for example sealed pate.

The best way is to buy food with clear origin and safety. If you are suspicious or not sure about the food, you can soak it in water many times, no need to soak it in salt water.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh
Former staff of Institute of Biotechnology and Food
Hanoi University of Science and Technology

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