The Best Cooking Methods to Keep Nutrients Intact
There are plenty of ways to cook up juicy and
flavorful food without adding tons of unnecessary extras. While most people
know to ditch the fryer when cooking up healthy meals, many don’t think about
how their cooking
method affects the nutritional makeup of their entrée.
Heat can break down and destroy 15 to 20 percent of some vitamins in vegetables—especially
vitamin C, folate, and potassium. And as you'll see
below, some methods are more detrimental than others. This is why raw
foodists cut out cooking altogether, claiming
that uncooked food maintains all of its nutritional value and supports optimal
health.
But other studies suggest certain foods
actually benefit from cooking. When cooking carrots, spinach, and tomatoes, for
example, heat facilitates the release of antioxidantsby breaking down cell walls, providing an easier passage of the good
guys from food to body. Let's dive into the details.
The Methods
Microwaving
Some research suggests that nuking
may be the healthiest way to cook because
of its short cooking times, which results in minimal nutrient destruction.
Microwaves cook food by heating it from the inside out. They emit
radio waves that “excite” the molecules in food
(read: make them move all round), which generates heat, cooking the food.
While microwave cooking can sometimes cause
food to dry out, keep things moist by splashing the item with a bit of water
before heating, or by placing a wet paper towel over the top of your dish.
Regardless, the way that microwaves cook food nixes
the need to add extra oils (bonus points). The best
part? You can microwave just about anything, from veggies and rice to meat and
eggs (and studies
suggest it may just be one of the best ways to
preserve nutrients in veggies). Just make sure to use a microwave-safe
container.
Boiling
Boiling is quick, easy, and requires nothing
but water and a touch of salt. (Oh, and whatever food you’re cooking.) But in
addition to the high temperatures, the large volume of water dissolves and washes away
water-soluble vitamins and 60 to 70 percent of
foods' minerals.
While this method can dissolve vitamins and
minerals in some foods (especially vegetables), it's not the worst way to cook
food. “Some antioxidants are more available when cooked. Lycopene in tomatoes,
for example, is more readily available when cooked,” says Abbie Gellman, MS, RD, CDN. Carrots also fall into this
category, and one study concluded that the level of beta-carotene increases after carrots
are cooked.
Steaming
Steaming anything from fresh veggies to fish
fillets allows them to cook in their own juices and retain all that natural
goodness. (Again, no need for fat-laden additions to
up the moisture.) It’s always good to add a little seasoning first, whether
that’s a sprinkle of salt or a squeeze of lemon juice. If the carcinogen-fighting
glucosinolates in broccoli are important to you, some
research suggests steaming could be the best way to cook the little green
trees. In the body, glucosinolates become compounds called isothiocyanates,
which some studies suggest inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
The only downside? Steaming doesn't always
taste so great. “So many people get steaming wrong, leading them to dislike
veggies even more, so I don’t typically recommend it,” says Sara Haas RDN, LDN. She admits
that you don’t get a ton of flavor from steaming and that can lead to reaching
for excess butter or salt.
Poaching
The same goes for boiling’s cousin,
poaching—no additions required. Basically, poaching means cooking the given
food in a small amount of hot water just below boiling point. It takes slightly
longer (which some experts believe can decrease
nutrient retention), but is a great way to gently cook delicate
foods like fish, eggs, or fruit. Plus, it’s just about the most delicious way
to cook an egg in our book.
Broiling
Broiling entails cooking food under high,
direct heat for a short period of time. Broiling is a great way to cook tender
cuts of meat, but may not be ideal for cooking veggies,
as they can dry out easily. The hotter temperature also tends to degrade the
enzymes in the produce, causing more nutrient losses.
Grilling
In terms of getting maximum nutrition without
sacrificing flavor, grilling is a great cooking method. It requires minimal
added fats and imparts a smoky flavor while keeping meats and veggies juicy and
tender. While these are definitely healthy benefits, not everything about
grilling is so peachy. Some research suggests that regularly consuming charred, well-done meat may
increase the risk of pancreatic cancer and breast cancer.
Cooking at high heat can also produce a
chemical reaction between the fat and protein in meat, creating toxins that are
linked to the imbalance of antioxidants in the body and inflammation, which can lead to an increased risk
of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This doesn’t mean BBQs are
forbidden—just stick with lean cuts of meat that require less cooking time and
keep dark meats on the rarer side.
Sautéeing
While this method does require some oil in
the pan, it should only be a moderate amount—just enough to get a nice sear on
your meat and veggies. It’s effective for bite-size pieces of meat, grains like
rice and quinoa, and thin-cut veggies like bell peppers, julienned carrots, and
snow peas.
Some studies actually found that cooking veggies in a little bit of olive oil
may increase the antioxidant capacity of the food. This may come as no
surprise, as olive oil is a large part of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.
No Cooking (Raw)
Raw food diets have gained tons of attention,
and for good reason. Many studies suggest there are benefits to incorporating
more raw foods into the diet: Eating the rainbow consistently reduces the risk of cancer, but the jury’s out on whether raw or cooked is really best overall.
Plus, since the diet is mostly plant-based,
more vitamins, minerals, and fiber are consumed with no added sugars or fats
from cooking. And while some raw items might be super healthy, studies have
found that cooking can actually amplify some
nutrients, like lycopene in tomatoes and antioxidants
in carotenoids such as carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, and peppers.
We say: Do your best to eat your fruits,
veggies, and lean proteins, but don't always cook them the same way (besides,
then your taste buds will get bored and nobody wants that).
https://greatist.com/health/healthy-cooking-methods?utm_source=CM&utm_medium=email&utm_content=story1_cta&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter_2017-11-16_testB_20160817
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