Cooked veggies unleash hidden nutrients: The health benefits explored
There are many myths surrounding the cooking of vegetables. It is commonly believed that raw vegetables contain more vitamins and minerals. However, cooking not only doesn't harm some vegetables but even helps release beneficial nutrients that are advantageous for our bodies.
While browsing Dr. Magdalena Cubała-Kucharska's Instagram reels, I came across an interesting point about cooking vegetables. The author of the book "Intestinal Revolution: Regain Health, Live Long, and Eat What You Love" provides examples of vegetables that are healthy after being cooked. The list includes spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and tomatoes. The last example was especially surprising to me.
Why is it worth cooking spinach?
Dr. Magdalena Cubała states that cooking spinach "reduces the amount of oxalic acid and increases the amount of absorbable iron, especially if you add lemon to it." You can use cooked spinach in sauces or fillings, such as in crepes with spinach and cheese.
How to cook spinach? Put the washed leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon.
What other cooked vegetables are healthy?
The Instagram reel also provides information about cooking cabbage and broccoli. Magdalena Cubała notes that "after cooking, for example, steaming, the amount of goitrogens decreases while the amount of sulforaphane increases."
Goitrogens are substances that can affect thyroid function by reducing iodine absorption. On the other hand, sulforaphane helps remove toxins from the body and carcinogenic compounds. You can also find a large amount of this substance in kohlrabi, radish, turnip, arugula, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli sprouts.
How best to prepare Brussels sprouts and broccoli?
You can boil both broccoli and Brussels sprouts in water, but they are easiest to prepare by steaming. Regardless of the method chosen, remove the vegetables after 3-4 minutes. Cooking them for a longer time will cause them to lose colour and gain a bitter taste.
Blanching the vegetables enhances their visual appeal. After cooking, rinse them with cold water.
Why is it worth cooking tomatoes?
Tomatoes, which also made it to Dr. Cubała-Kucharska's list, are a big surprise. "At 70 degrees Celsius (150 degrees Fahrenheit), the best possible antioxidant, lycopene, is released from them," she says in the reel.
This compound is a natural pigment from the carotenoid group. It is responsible not only for the red colour of tomatoes but also for its antioxidant properties. It is particularly recommended for men at risk of prostate cancer.
