Should you eat vegetables raw, or are they more nutritious when cooked? This has long been a topic of debate among fitness enthusiasts. Well, the answer lies in how they are consumed. Although some foods lose their nutrients when exposed to heat, it turns out that some vegetables become healthier when cooked. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate a healthy diet that included cooked foods absorbed more nutrients than those who ate a raw food diet. This begs the question: what vegetables to cook? Let’s find out.
Read also: Steaming Food: 5 Surprising Health Benefits You Need to Know About
Here are 5 vegetables that become healthier when boiled/cooked:
1. Spinach:
One of the healthiest leafy greens, spinach offers various health benefits. Apart from nutrients, it also contains oxalic acid, which is known to block the absorption of iron and calcium. However, upon contact with heat, the acid decomposes at high temperatures, making it easier to absorb nutrients.
2. Sweet potatoes:
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, boiling Sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable. Additionally, raw sweet potatoes are too difficult to consume.
3. Mushroom:
Mushrooms contain a generous amount of ergothioneine, an antioxidant released during cooking. These antioxidants help break down “free radicals,” leading to oxidative stress in the body.
Read also: Blanch or steam? What is the difference and which is healthier
4. Green beans:
Green beans contain lectins, a compound that can cause various digestive disorders. Cooking not only neutralizes lectins but also improves taste, digestibility and antioxidant content.
5. Eggplant:
A study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that steaming eggplant allows its nutrient components to bind to bile acids, allowing the liver to break down cholesterol more easily and reducing its presence in the blood.
Now that you know everything, we suggest you cook these vegetables before consuming them. Eat healthy, stay fit!
About Somdatta SahaExplorer- that’s what Somdatta likes to call herself. Whether it’s food, people or places, all she craves is to experience the unknown. A simple aglio olio or daal-chawal pasta and a good movie can brighten up one’s day.
