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Cooking Vegetables for Optimal Nutrition


Colorful, tasty, diverse and sooo healthy – you can't eat enough vegetables! But of course, not all vegetables are the same when it comes to cooking. What is the best way to prepare the many different types of vegetables? It's worth getting to know different cooking techniques.

Certain vegetables are not cooked at all, while others are practically inedible raw, such as eggplant. In addition, our favorite vegetables can react quite differently to different preparation methods. Carrots taste great raw in salads, but offer different nutrients when cooked because the cooking process breaks down the hard cell walls. This makes them easier to digest and the body can absorb more vitamins. The way vegetables are prepared greatly affects their nutrient content because many vitamins are sensitive to heat and oxygen (especially vitamin C, the B vitamins, and folic acid). In addition, certain vitamins are water-soluble. Therefore, the rule of thumb is: To preserve the nutrient content, vegetables should be cooked as briefly as possible, at a rather low temperature and with little water.

Now, let’s take a closer look into different cooking methods for optimum nutrition.

Baking/Roasting: The great news about roasting is that it doesn’t require any water, so the mineral and vitamin content remains. Roasting gives vegetables a crispy texture and ensures they are more flavorful due to the caramelization that takes place during the cooking process. Most vegetables can be roasted, but root vegetables do particularly well because of the high heat required to roast.

How to: In a bowl, stir together spices and healthy oil. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in a 200° oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked thoroughly. This can take between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the type of vegetable and the size of the pieces. Turn vegetables about every 10 minutes.


Steaming: Steaming is the best method for preserving antioxidants found in broccoli and zucchini. If you prefer to steam your vegetables, eat them as is with some additional seasoning or toss them with a small amount of healthy oil before serving to boost nutrient absorption from those fat soluble vitamins.

How to: Bring small amount of water to a boil over high heat. When water begins to boil and steam is emerging from the pot, it’s ready. Add vegetables, cover, and reduce the heat. If you have a steamer basket scatter the vegetables and cover. If you don’t have a steamer a colander can do the trick.


Sautéing/Stir-Fry: Sautéing vegetables over high heat in a little bit of oil is quick and simple. Cooking vegetables over high heat for a short amount of time will minimize the nutrient loss and the oil you use to sauté will aid in nutrient absorption. It’s great for greens, which will wilt and become tender in no time, and for other soft vegetables like peas, mushrooms, and onions.

How to: Heat a small amount of healthy oil in a large, shallow pan. Use medium to high heat. Add the vegetables to the hot pan. Stir the vegetables frequently until they are browned and cooked through.


Microwaving: Cooking vegetables in the microwave requires little to no water and doesn’t require long exposure to high temperatures, so microwaving helps retain their nutrients. The one exception is broccoli; keep it out of the microwave. It loses more than 50 percent of its antioxidants if microwaved.

How to: Arrange vegetables evenly in a microwave safe dish. Wrap bowl with plastic wrap. Puncture the plastic wrap a few times to allow air flow. Set cooking time and cook.


Boiling/Pressure Cooking: Generally speaking, don’t use these methods if you want to retain antioxidant levels in your vegetables. Submerging vegetables in water for an extended period of time will release the water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B and C) into the water. If you do boil vegetables, save the nutrient-rich water to use in a future soup or sauce.


Frying: Avoid frying. This method fails the test when it comes to retaining antioxidant and nutrition levels. In addition to the high heat adding unhealthy oils (commercial deep frying), it will cause a loss of nutrients.


We encourage you to "eat the rainbow" when it comes to vegetables and fruits because different colors of these foods correspond with different vitamins and minerals. The best way to get all the vitamins and minerals is through a well-balanced diet. If you haven’t tried one of the methods above, give it a try and you might find you enjoy certain vegetables more.


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