5 Culinary Tips To Enhance The Nutritional Value Of Vegetables

Not all vegetables on the market can be eaten without being cooked. However, something we also know is that the way we prepare them will guarantee better digestion or a more optimal use of their nutrients.

Perhaps for this reason, sometimes we have doubts about how to cook them. Do we steam the spinach? Shall we fry the onion? How much should a broccoli be cooked for it to offer us all its benefits? These are very common questions to which we do not always get an answer.

We have endless recipes, but we forget a very specific fact: depending on which foods we combine the vegetables with, we will enhance their nutrients or, on the contrary, we will lose them. For this reason, it is interesting to know a series of tips in this regard. We are sure that these proposals will help you in your day-to-day cooking.

1. What are the most suitable cooking times for vegetables?

The cooking times will depend on the vegetable itself and the amount we want to cook. It is not the same to prepare a cauliflower than a couple of carrots. However, there is a series of data that we must assess before cooking them.

• It is important to know, first of all, that most of the nutrients in the vegetables that we boil go to the cooking water.
• Thus, a first point is already clear to us: it will always be better to steam vegetables than to boil them.
• Cooking times are shorter with steam, and even with the microwave, because the amount of water added is less.
• Pressure cookers are great for preparing vegetables. The problem is, unfortunately, we also lose a lot of your vitamins in this way.
• Green beans, peas, green asparagus, broccoli, corn, or carrots require little cooking time. Steamed we will have them ready in less than 10 minutes.
• Keep in mind that we want them to be firm and consistent. That is the perfect point. By the time they are soft, we will lose many of their nutrients. Taking advantage of the antioxidant nutrients in vegetables will improve the state of health, since these have proven to be effective in preventing chronic diseases.

2. Little water and larger chunks

If you want to consume vegetables with the highest number of vitamins and minerals possible, it is best if the pieces are large. Also, if we include little water during cooking, we will ensure that they retain their nutrients.

3. When the vegetables allow it, add lemon

The organic acids in many fruits protect the vitamins and minerals in vegetables. Something that we all know, for example, is that vitamin C from lemon is very adequate to settle iron in the body.

So, do not hesitate: whenever the vegetable allows it, add a few drops of lemon or even apple cider vinegar. In this way, we are also able to fully enjoy a healthy and very tasty dish.

It should also be noted that vitamin C is capable of optimizing the functioning of the immune system, according to a study published in Nutrients . This reduces the incidence of common colds and many viral infections.

4. Drain the vegetables well

It is necessary to dry the vegetables well when they have reached the optimum cooking point.  If you are going to consume them immediately, just take them out a little before. The vegetable’s own residual heat will finish the process.

On the other hand, if we are going to consume them for dinner, or the next day, we can leave them with the cooking water itself and then dry them when we serve them on the plate.

However, remember that reheating them many times will cause much of their nutrients to be lost.

5. Roasted or fried vegetables, which is better?

As we made clear at the beginning, the best way to benefit from vegetables is steamed. However, from time to time we love fried or roasted.

Its flavor is more intense and they combine very well with other foods such as meat. However… Are they healthy?

• With roasting the vegetables are richer but we lose about 25% of their vitamins. The positive is that it has less fat and they are still delicious.
• For their part, fried, battered or breaded vegetables are just as tasty. With the only exception that we already imagine: they make us gain weight. However, if we drain them well, we will eliminate part of the fat content.

• It must be borne in mind that trans-type fatty acids are generated through the frying process. There is evidence that these are harmful to cardiovascular health.

Be careful with food cooking methods

To conclude, it is necessary to always take care of the way we cook our food. Vegetables are precious treasures full of benefits that should be preserved as much as possible.

Whenever you can, steam them. Also, do not hesitate to take advantage of the cooking water when you prepare them in this way. You can make great recipes.