Does Cooking Your Food Change Its Nutritional Value

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Cooking is absolutely essential, and it’s a genuinely fascinating thing, you can make so many different dishes using the same ingredients. Let’s take carrots; you can grill them, saute them, boil them, fry them, or eat them completely raw.

But, does a vegetable hold the same nutritional value if you cook it rather than eating it raw?

Well, of course, it does. But, the change isn’t always a negative one, let’s take tomatoes as an example, tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene. Lycopene is what gives tomatoes that brilliant red color and helps to lower the chances of getting cancer (according to the American Cancer Society).

So, what happens to the lycopene when the tomatoes are cooked? Well, it becomes more concentrated, so you’re getting more of the antioxidant that fights off cancer.

If you’re concerned about your fruits and veggies losing their nutritional value there are a few things you can do to lower the loss:

1. Remember when you boil or steam your veggies, not to do so for too long. Plus they taste good when they’re not all soggy and still have a little crunch left.
2. Remember if you’re going to cook your veggies by frying, sauteing, or grilling to not cook them for too long, this way they’ll still keep most of their nutritional value.

Another way you can get more benefits from the fruit and veg you eat is to eat them closer to the time they were harvested, this way you’re certain that the nutrients haven’t had the chance to break down. It’s hard to tell when fruits and veggies are freshly picked, so you could always start growing some at home. It’ll take time, but you’ll notice the difference in taste.

Don't stop cooking your food, just cook them a little less. Let us know how this works for you, are you enjoying your food more?