Heat treatment destroys vitamins in vegetables: truth or myth

It's all about the type of nutrient

Many people believe that raw vegetables contain more nutrients than cooked ones, but this depends on the type of nutrient.

Heat treatment destroys the thick cell walls of many plants, releasing the nutrients stored in them.

German study. on a group of 200 raw foodists showed that they had higher plasma beta-carotene levels, but lower than average lycopene levels. One of the factors that influenced the result was the lower content of lycopene in raw tomatoes compared to thermally processed ones.

What Happens to Vitamin C and Other Water-Soluble Substances

According to a report by researchers at the University of California, Davis., the loss of vitamin C, depending on the cooking method, can range from 15% to 55%. Fresh spinach loses about ⅔ during cooking, and peas and carrots - 85–95% of vitamin C.

Water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B, and polyphenols are most susceptible to degradation during processing and cooking.

Interestingly, vitamin C levels are often higher in frozen foods compared to fresh ones due to the fact that they decrease during storage and transport of raw crops.

Another study showed that after six months of freezing, cherries lost 50% of anthocyanins, nutrients found in the dark pigments of fruits and vegetables. So, vitamins are not always stored in frozen foods.

What Happens to Vitamin A and Other Fat-Soluble Substances

According to a report published in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. To preserve vitamins in carrots, zucchini and broccoli, it is better to boil them than to steam, fry, or eat them raw. Frying has proven to be the worst way to preserve nutrients.

Fat-soluble compounds such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, and antioxidant compounds called carotenoids, are better retained during cooking and heat processing.

But when it comes to cooking vegetables, you always have to compromise. The same method can increase the availability of some nutrients while degrading others. For example, boiled carrots have higher levels of carotenoids than raw carrots. However, unprocessed carrots have a lot more polyphenols, which disappear as soon as you start cooking them.

What happens to vitamins in the microwave

Although many people think that cooking in the microwave is harmful, vegetables cooked in it may have higher concentrations of certain vitamins.

In March 2007, an experiment was conducted in which scientists observed how boiling, steaming, microwave cooking, and pressure cooking affect the nutrients in broccoli. Steaming and boiling resulted in a loss of 22 to 34% of vitamin C. The vegetables cooked in the microwave and under pressure retained 90% of the vitamin C.

conclusions

1. No way of preparing, serving and storing food will retain all the nutrients in vegetables.

2. If scientists have decided that boiled zucchini is useful, it is not a fact that it is right for you. If it doesn't go down your throat, it won't do you any good. Therefore, when choosing a cooking method, also rely on your own taste.

3. The best way to get the most out of your vegetables is to enjoy them in different varieties: raw, stewed, boiled, baked and grilled.

4. If you regularly eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, you do not need to worry about the cooking method.