Each colour of a vegetable contains a unique nutritional component that is essential to our health. As Verona suggests, the more colours of vegetables we eat, the more nutrients we can get from them. “Vegetables contain chemical compounds that affect their colours, scents, flavours and nutrients. For instance, red vegetables like tomatoes and red peppers are rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of certain cancers, slow down aging and boost immunity.”

Southern Chinese have the habit of making soups with gourds in summer to boost fluid intake in the scorching summer heat. Verona reminds us that gourds are susceptible to nutritional loss over prolonged heating. “Vitamins C and B-complex are water-soluble. They will dissolve in soups, but then destroyed on high flame or after prolonged cooking. So, keep the cooking time short. And to get the most nutrients out of the soup, we should eat all the ingredients, too.”

Blanching is another way of cooking that may cause the loss of some water-soluble nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. Verona recommends steaming, stir-frying and grilling/baking for gourd dishes instead because the vegetables would take shorter time to cook, with the use of less water. For the same reasons, microwave cooking is also recommended.