Experts share tips at nutrition conference

There are many misunderstandings about nutrition among the public, medical experts told a conference on Sunday. 

“Some people keep vegetables for days as they think pesticides will disappear,” said Dr Zhang Meifang, director of the Shanghai 9th People’s Hospital’s department of nutrition. 

“But pesticides usually reduce after one day. Also it is wrong to store vegetables for a long time as the nutrition value decreases. The vitamin C in tomato drops 20 percent after one day and 25 percent after two days.

“People should buy the proper quantity of vegetable and eat them promptly, as storage at room temperature for many days can result in an increase in nitrite. If people want to keep vegetable for a long time, it should be at low temperatures. Quick cooking is another way to help reduce nitrites in vegetable rather than steaming.”