Crystal iced vegetables can be considered a relatively niche vegetable, with unique charm. The leaves are covered with "small ice crystals", which have gradually entered the public eye in recent years and become a new favorite on the dining table. I bet many people have never seen ice cold dishes, let alone eaten them. In this article, we will explore the nutritional value of iced vegetables and tell you how to eat them. What is ice cold dish? Ice cabbage, also known as Ice Leaf Sun Flower, Ice Flower, or African Ice Grass, is an annual herbaceous plant in the genus Sun Flower of the family Caryophyllaceae. It has a large number of large vesicular cells on its leaves and stems, which are filled with liquid and look like shiny water droplets. Under sunlight, the reflected light looks like ice crystals, so it is called ice cabbage. Iced vegetables are native to arid regions such as the Namib Desert in South Africa, and therefore have the characteristics of cold resistance, drought tolerance, and salt alkali tolerance. They can grow in high salt soil and beach edges, and can safely overwinter even in cold and high-altitude areas with temperatures of -45 ℃ in winter. Iced vegetables can improve soil salinization (soil salinization can reduce plant water absorption capacity, inhibit plant growth, and seriously lead to plant death). It can absorb and accumulate salt from the soil, and after harvesting, it can reduce soil salinity. This is because ice vegetables belong to salt secreting plants, and under saline alkali conditions, they can excrete excess salt absorbed through salt glands densely distributed on the stem and leaf surfaces into ice crystal shaped vacuoles, forming the visible "small water bubbles" that also look like thin ice crystals. Because ice cold dishes have such characteristics, they have a very unique taste. If you take a handful of ice cold vegetables and chew them in your mouth, the taste is quite refreshing, tender and crispy, as if the ice cold vegetables have melted in your mouth, and there is a faint salty taste. How is the nutrition of iced vegetables? Ice vegetables have become a "aristocrat" among vegetables due to their rarity, and their prices are relatively high, usually around 20 yuan per kilogram. Although not commonly seen on daily dining tables, it still has high nutritional value, rich in natural plant salts, amino acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, inositol, pine alcohol and other substances. It has a slight salty taste and a moisture content of up to 95%. It tastes refreshing and can quench thirst while also supplementing nutrients. The vitamin C content of frozen vegetables is 20.8 milligrams per 100 grams, which is 2 to 10 times higher than the lettuce, rapeseed, and oilseed rape that we often eat. The key is that it can be eaten raw directly, and vitamin C is well preserved. 2. Supplementing with β - carotene. Iced vegetables contain β - carotene, which, although not abundant, is higher in content than the oil and wheat vegetables we often eat. This ingredient is not only beneficial for our eye health, but also helps maintain skin health. 3. Rich in potassium and magnesium, and not low in sodium. Iced vegetables have excellent potassium and magnesium content in vegetables, with potassium content as high as 1825 milligrams per 100 grams, which is seven times that of bananas; The magnesium content is as high as 137 milligrams per 100 grams, which is higher than that of Chinese cabbage, spinach, amaranth, lettuce, and lettuce. This means that eating 100 grams of iced vegetables can meet 91% of the daily potassium and 42% of the magnesium needs of the general population. Adequate intake of potassium and magnesium is helpful for controlling blood pressure and maintaining cardiovascular health. However, ice vegetables can absorb and accumulate salt in the soil during their growth process, and their sodium content is naturally not low, reaching 2965 milligrams per 100 grams, which is equivalent to nearly 7 grams of sodium salt per 100 grams of ice vegetables. The sodium content of common leafy vegetables generally does not exceed 100 milligrams per 100 grams. Although some literature mentioned that salt in iced vegetables belongs to low sodium salt, low sodium salt is beneficial to patients with diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. But it is still necessary to remind everyone that people with high blood pressure should pay attention and try to eat it. If there are cold dishes in the meal, do not eat other salty foods. Researchers have also used ice vegetables to make sports drinks, taking advantage of their high natural sodium and potassium content, which can supplement the body's electrolytes without the need for additional potassium or sodium salts. When it comes to calcium supplementation, the most common thing we think of is drinking more milk. In fact, when it comes to calcium supplementation, the intake of green leafy vegetables cannot be ignored. They contain vitamin K, which is beneficial for bones, and although the absorption rate of calcium is not as high as milk, many green leafy vegetables have good calcium content. For example, the calcium content of rapeseed, wolfberry leaves, mustard greens, bok choy, sugar beet leaves, and green radish shoots all exceed 100 milligrams per 100 grams, which is higher than that of ordinary milk. The calcium content of ice bok choy is even higher, at 288 milligrams per 100 grams, which is 2.5 times that of bok choy. The iron absorption rate of plant-based foods with high iron content is not as good as animal based foods, usually not exceeding 5%. However, for vegetables with high iron content, it is still helpful in supplementing iron. Ice cold vegetables have a good iron content, even more abundant than spinach, which has a higher iron content in people's minds, at 17.6 milligrams per 100 grams, which is six times that of spinach. Moreover, its rich vitamin C can promote the absorption and utilization of iron. 6. Excellent Zinc Content: A lack of zinc in the body may lead to picky eating, pica, affect brain function, wound healing, male fertility, make people susceptible to respiratory infections, induce ADHD, hair loss, rough skin, etc. Iced vegetables have a high zinc content of 33.9 milligrams per 100 grams, which is 30 or even 60 times higher than that of regular vegetables. The zinc content of celery leaves, long cowpeas, rapeseed, and coriander that we usually eat is only 1.14 milligrams per 100 grams, 0.94 milligrams per 100 grams, 0.87 milligrams per 100 grams, and 0.35 milligrams per 100 grams. The daily zinc requirements for healthy adults in China are 12 milligrams per day for males and 8.5 milligrams per day for females, which can be met by just eating 50 grams of iced vegetables. The main component of ice vegetable flavonoids, which are rich in flavonoids, is quercetin. It can help us eliminate excess free radicals in the body, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, improve the body's condition, enhance immune function, delay aging, protect cardiovascular health, and inhibit tumor growth. In addition, ice cold vegetables contain 16 types of amino acids, with the highest content of glutamic acid, therefore they have a strong freshness and are also very delicious when eaten raw. How to eat iced vegetables? Iced vegetables can be washed clean and eaten raw, as well as stir fried or made into soup. They are often used as side dishes for various dishes, such as Japanese and French cuisine, and are high-end ingredients for hotel Western cuisine. Among them, eating raw can maximize the preservation of the nutritional components of frozen vegetables, with a good taste, fresh, juicy, and refreshing, slightly sour and slightly salty, while maintaining its unique appearance with "ice crystals", which looks very appetizing; If you don't like to eat it directly, you can also mix it cold, dip it in sauce, stir fry it, make soup, etc. Summary: Iced vegetables are a type of vegetable that represents oneself, with a crisp and refreshing taste that also quenches thirst. It's best to buy less at once and finish it as soon as possible, firstly because it's not cheap; Secondly, it is not resistant to storage. Generally, it can be stored for 5-7 days under refrigeration conditions of 0-5 ℃. (New Society)