Specific polyphenols have been shown to have antioxidant properties and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a report in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Comparing the healthfulness of raw and cooked food is complicated, and there are still many mysteries surrounding how the different molecules in plants interact with the human body. The bottom line, says Liu, is to eat your veggies and fruits no matter how they're prepared.
Sushma Subramanian is a freelance science writer and an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Mary Washington. Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Go Paperless with Digital. Read more from this special report: The Science of Our Food. Get smart. Sign up for our email newsletter.
Spinach is rich in several minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, and K, calcium, iron, protein, fiber, and zinc. A study published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology found that the retention of beta-carotene an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in cooked spinach was higher than the beta-carotene in raw spinach.
To really boost the inherent nutrients in a tomato, put some heat under it. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. This site offers information designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on any information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or as a substitute for, professional counseling care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Skip to content. Follow Us or Share this page:. Next Next post: Senior Age Tech. But heat breaks down the cell walls, which makes the carotenoids easier for your body to absorb.
Try this: To get the most out of your red bell, consider a recipe that involves lightly roasting or stir-frying it. Roast green beans and a sliced red pepper in a little olive oil and vinegar, for example, or toss some slivers into a stir-fry. And cooking 10 minutes or less generally gets you the most benefits.
When raw, these crucifers , as their class is called, are packed with glucosinolates, which can convert to variety of cancer-fighting compounds in your body. In order for the glucosinolates you eat to make that transition, however, an enzyme in the veggies called myrosinase has to be active.
You can activate it by chopping the veggies up or chewing as you eat—but cooking can destroy it. Why, then, do broccoli and cauliflower make this list of vegetables better eaten cooked? Cooking can make these vegetables easier on your digestive system. Fortunately, science has discovered a way out of this conundrum. When the vegetables were subsequently stir-fried, the researchers found, they did contain the cancer-fighting compounds.
Others have suggested that a wait time of as little as 40 minutes may also have a significant positive effect. Sprouts are, essentially, baby plants—seeds that have been germinated in warm, watery conditions. But their production may account in part for why raw sprouts are often contaminated with bacteria that cause foodborne illness , such as listeria and E.
In restaurants, request that raw sprouts be left off your dish salads are often topped with alfalfa sprouts, for instance. Does your diet need an overhaul? Since , Consumer Reports has been testing products and working to create a fairer, safer, and healthier marketplace. Click here to learn more about Consumer Reports' mission as a nonprofit organization. To help support our work, please consider making a tax-deductible donation.
When cooked in water, these valuable nutrients can easily leach out, which causes the nutritional value of the vegetable to sharply plummet. Additionally, a delicate antioxidant in cucumbers called fisetin known for its anti-inflammatory, disease-fighting, and neuroprotective properties can dissolve when cooked in water, too. By Betty Gold Updated January 16, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team.
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