How to make mung bean soup green

　　In summer, a bowl of iced mung bean soup can clear away heat and replenish water. It is a must-have for every household's health care. But have you ever noticed that the freshly cooked soup is obviously green but turns red after a while? In fact, this is not just a simple color change - red soup has weak antioxidant power and poor heat-clearing effect! The key to a truly effective mung bean soup is how to keep it green.

How to make mung bean soup green

　　Many people think that it is normal for mung bean soup to turn red. In fact, this is a sign of nutrient loss and weakened efficacy. Research has confirmed that green mung bean soup is rich in polyphenols, has stronger antioxidant capacity, and has better heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. ； Once it turns red, it means that the active ingredients have been oxidized, and the health-preserving effect is greatly reduced. So, how can you cook and keep that bowl of green and fragrant soup?

　　Teach you four tips to easily cook green mung bean soup:

　　1. Boil with purified water

　　Water quality directly affects soup color. Tap water in the north is alkaline and contains more metal ions (such as iron and calcium), which can easily react with the polyphenols in mung bean skins, causing the soup to turn red. It is recommended to use purified water or distilled water, which can effectively prevent discoloration and keep the soup bright green for a long time.

　　2. Add the mung beans after the water boils

　　Don’t cook mung beans in cold water! Heating cold water for a long time will accelerate oxidation. The correct way is: boil the water first, then add the mung beans and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes. At this time, the polyphenols in the bean skin are dissolved the most, the soup is green in color, and the heat-clearing effect is strongest. After removing the soup, the remaining beans can be cooked into mung bean paste or mung bean porridge.

　　3. Cover the pot while cooking

　　The polyphenols in mung bean skin are easily oxidized by air. Be sure to cover the pot during cooking to reduce contact with oxygen and prevent the soup from turning red quickly. This is simple but very crucial!

　　4. Add a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar

　　Acidic environment can inhibit polyphenol oxidation. Add half a spoonful of white vinegar or a few drops of lemon juice to the water (it is better not to taste sour) to keep the soup green. Even if it is poured and left for half an hour, the color is still clear.

　　Extra reminder: avoid using an iron pan or iron spoon for stirring

　　The iron ions in metal utensils will react with the mung bean ingredients, causing the soup to become dark or even black. It is recommended to use a casserole, stainless steel pot or glassware and stir gently with a wooden spoon.

Things to note when drinking mung bean soup

　　1. People with cold constitution should drink with caution

　　Mung bean soup is cold in nature. Excessive consumption by people with spleen and stomach deficiency, prone to diarrhea, and fear of cold may aggravate the symptoms of deficiency and cold, causing abdominal pain and loose stools. If these people drink it, it is recommended to reduce the amount and cook it until soft and rotten, or add red dates and ginger to neutralize the coldness and avoid damaging the spleen and stomach functions.

　　2. Control the timing and amount of drinking

　　Mung bean soup contains high sugar content, so diabetic patients need to strictly control the amount they drink.； Drinking on an empty stomach can easily irritate the gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended to drink it 1-2 hours after a meal. Healthy people should drink no more than 500 ml per day to avoid excessive consumption, which may cause abdominal distension, and it is not advisable to drink continuously for a long time to avoid affecting the balanced nutritional intake.

　　3. Avoid improper matching

　　Mung beans should not be cooked with hot and cold ingredients such as mutton. The combination of hot and cold foods may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.； Also avoid taking it with traditional Chinese medicine. The tannins in mung beans may affect the absorption of the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine. Do not add alkali when cooking to avoid destroying vitamins and reducing nutritional value.

　　Traditional Chinese medicine believes that mung beans are cold in nature and have the effects of clearing away heat, detoxifying, relieving summer heat and diuresis. They are especially suitable for people with heat stroke, thirst and upset in summer. Modern nutrition has also discovered that mung beans are rich in potassium, B vitamins and plant protein, which can not only replenish electrolytes lost through sweating, but also help bind heavy metal ions. The polyphenolic antioxidants that play a central role are the key to green soup. Once oxidized and turned red, a large amount of these active substances will be lost, and the health value will also decrease. Therefore, cooking a pot of mung bean soup that is "green" but not "red" is not a matter of particular importance, but a manifestation of scientific health preservation.