Cooking revelations: Why some veggies are healthier when hot
There are many myths surrounding the cooking of vegetables. It is commonly believed that vegetables contain more vitamins and minerals when eaten raw. However, it turns out that cooking not only doesn't harm some vegetables but even helps release beneficial nutrients for the body.
While browsing Dr. Magdalena Cubała-Kucharska's Instagram reels, I came across an interesting piece of information 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, for example, in crêpes 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 states 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 and carcinogenic compounds from the body. You can also find this substance in kohlrabi, radish, turnip, rocket, 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 longer will cause them to lose colour and gain a bitter taste.
To enhance visual appeal, it's worth blanching the vegetables. 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. She says in the reel that "at 70 degrees Celsius, the best possible antioxidant, called lycopene, is released from them. "
This compound is a natural pigment from the carotenoid group but is responsible not only for the red colour of tomatoes; it also has antioxidant properties. It is especially recommended for men at risk of prostate cancer.
