Posted: Tuesday, 12 February 2008 11:16AM
Importance of Cooking Vegetables
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Cooking vegetables boosts levels of some antioxidants, according to new Italian research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The study looked at carrots, zucchini, and broccoli which were boiled, steamed and fried. Boiling and steaming were best at preserving carotenoids or even boosting them, while frying caused the greatest losses, though results varied among the vegetables. For broccoli, steaming increased a variety of potentially anti-cancer phytochemicals. Cooking helps soften fiber, making certain compounds more extractable, and it also converts some of them to more active forms. Cooking does reduce some vitamins and phytochemicals, however, so do not overcook.
Who wants mushy vegetables now?
U.C. Berkeley Wellness Letter, March 2008
ON AIR: 2/16/08 |
Copyright 2008, KCBS. All Rights Reserved.
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