This doesn't mean raw vegetables are always better than cooked ones. In fact, proper cooking helps the body better absorb certain nutrients like beta-carotene in carrots or lycopene in tomatoes, while also softening fiber and reducing the risk of bacterial and parasitic infections, according to the health website Healthline (USA).
To preserve the amount of vitamin C and B vitamins in vegetables, they should not be boiled for too long in boiling water.
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Choosing the right cooking method is crucial. Therefore, when preparing vegetables, people should avoid the following:
Boiling vegetables for too long.
Boiling is a common cooking method, but if vegetables are left in boiling water for too long, the amount of vitamins lost increases significantly. This is because vitamin C and many B vitamins, such as folate, are both heat-sensitive and water-soluble. When vegetables are cooked for a long time, these vitamins are not only destroyed by the high temperature but also dissolve into the boiling water.
A study published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology shows that boiling is the method that causes the most vitamin C loss compared to other cooking methods such as blanching, steaming, or microwave cooking.
To minimize vitamin loss, wait until the water boils before adding vegetables, and only blanch them until they are just cooked through, removing them immediately instead of soaking them in hot water for too long.
Boil with plenty of water.
Adding too much water to the pot when boiling vegetables will cause some water-soluble vitamins to dissolve more easily. If you then discard the boiling water, your body will also be unable to absorb some of the nutrients that have dissolved into the water.
Nutrition experts suggest that if you don't need a lot of water, you should boil the vegetables with just enough water or prioritize steaming. Steaming reduces the vegetables' contact with water, thus preserving more vitamin C and folate compared to boiling.
Chop the vegetables too finely.
Many people have a habit of cutting vegetables into small pieces to save cooking time. However, as soon as vegetables are cut, the plant cells break down and begin to come into contact with the air. The oxidation process occurs faster, causing some vitamins, especially vitamin C and folate, to gradually decrease over time.
Cutting vegetables into excessively small pieces also increases the surface area exposed to air, causing vitamins to be lost more quickly. To retain more nutrients, experts recommend washing vegetables before cutting, cutting them into bite-sized pieces, and cooking them immediately afterward, avoiding prolonged storage, according to Healthline .