Have you ever wondered how to cook vegetables to preserve their nutrition? Contrary to popular belief, eating all raw vegetables is not good for your health. This is because some foods are activated by heat. Raw consumption of some vegetables is beneficial while this is not true for all vegetables.
Vegetables (raw or cooked) are part of a healthy and balanced diet. You need to eat plenty of vegetables to get the nutrients you need. The method of preparation of materials can affect their nutritional value . In today’s article, there are some things you can do to determine whether you should eat cooked or raw vegetables.
Food preservation
It is true that heat causes food loss. This is especially true when vegetables are boiled. Some vegetables lose about 30% of their soluble vitamins and 15% of their minerals when cooked in water. The fact is that some nutrients are sensitive to heat. These nutrients include vitamin C , thiamine , folate and potassium .
Tip: To increase the nutritional value of vegetables , simmer them instead of boiling them for a long time. Frying and steaming vegetables also causes them to lose nutrients .
Boost nutrients
Some nutrients are activated by heat, others are lost. For example, vitamin A, calcium, iron, and the antioxidant lycopene are activated by heat. This is because heat strengthens some of the vegetable ingredients. When the plant cell wall is destroyed, the body can better absorb vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
In some cases, when vegetables are cooked, they are consumed more. This is because vegetables such as spinach, cabbage and lettuce shrink when cooked.
Tip: Asparagus , broccoli , bell peppers and onions are some of the vegetables that are best eaten raw. Among them, mushrooms, peas and spinach are among the vegetables that are best cooked.
Antioxidant maintenance
Most vegetables (raw and cooked) kill certain cancers.
However, raw vegetables have more potential to fight cancer than cooked vegetables. This is because many antioxidants are lost when exposed to high temperatures. For example, minority is a plant-based substance in broccoli. This compound helps break down the substances in broccoli to release isothiocyanate. Isothiocyanate is a nutrient that prevents cancer and is killed when cooked. This is because cooked broccoli has two-thirds less isothiocyanate than raw broccoli.
On the other hand, the antioxidant lycopene is not released until it is heated. This is because tomato ketchup , pasta sauce and tomato paste contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
Pollution and safety
The reason most people prefer to cook is because it is safer. Some vegetables may be contaminated with harmful germs. Cooking these vegetables helps kill these germs and prevents disease. In general, cooked vegetables are less harmful than raw vegetables.
Tip: When storing vegetables, separate them from the meat. Meat germs can contaminate vegetables. Proper storage of vegetables can reduce the risk of food poisoning.