Why soaking vegetables in water is not recommended

Many people soak vegetables in water thinking they will be cleaner and that it will remove pesticides. Tests show that the effect is exactly the opposite, and even just 10 minutes of soaking causes changes in the nutritional value of the food.

Water acts on vegetables via the principle of osmosis, so any absorption of external liquid into the vegetable causes a change in the vegetable’s internal balance. Additionally, the outer layers of plants are usually more contaminated, and so the risk of pesticides spreads to parts that were safe before soaking. Testing has shown that after only 10 minutes of soaking in water, 0.5% of nutrients are lost, while soaking overnight reduces the nutritional value of the foods by 14 to 23%. In this process, the amount of vitamin C is completely lost, as well as the B vitamin complex, minerals, and water-soluble proteins.

The loss of nutrients and contamination with pesticides are not the only problems. Issues can also arise with invisible parasites and bacteria, and even more so with their eggs. Water only accelerates the development of these pests.

The only correct measure is to wash vegetables under running water.

And there’s something else important… During washing, so-called organic acid is produced, which is harmful to the body but fortunately evaporates quickly. If you want to minimize its impact, it’s a good idea to let, for example, washed lettuce stand for at least 10 minutes to dry after you’ve washed it under running water.

Also, don’t forget that raw vegetables are healthier than cooked ones. There are, in fact, two limits: at 36 degrees Celsius, vitamin C is lost; at 70 degrees, chlorophyll is lost; at 100 degrees, most vitamins are lost; and above 120 degrees Celsius, carcinogenic and harmful substances to humans begin to form, such as acrylamide, for example.


Information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.