There is a growing trend of eating uncooked vegetables. It is also the belief of most that less processed or uncooked food is better. However, not all vegetables provide us with nutrients when eaten raw. Certain vegetables provide us with the nutrients we need only when we cook them. Here are some of them.
Watered yam
Some vegetables have important nutrients embedded in their cell walls. When vegetables are cooked, their cell walls break down and nutrients are released. The nutrients released in this way are easily absorbed by the body.
Cooking the tuber causes its cell walls to break down, releasing vitamins A, B9, C, and E. We can get these vitamins present in the water only if we cook and eat the yam.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are high in antioxidants. They are released only when the mushroom is cooked. These antioxidants help destroy chemicals that damage our body’s cells and cause aging and disease
Lettuce
Spinach is rich in nutrients including iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc. Only when we cook spinach, these nutrients become easily absorbed by our body. This is because spinach is full of oxalic acid. That acid prevents our body from absorbing nutrients including iron and calcium.
Boiled spinach releases calcium so that it can be absorbed by the body. Also, steamed spinach also flushes out folic acid. Folic acid may help reduce the risk of certain cancers.
tomato
Although cooking tomatoes reduces their vitamin C content by 29 percent, their lycopene content increases by 50 percent within 30 minutes of cooking. Lycopene is an antioxidant. It can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases including heart disease and cancer.
Also, when tomatoes are boiled, their thick cell walls break down and many important nutrients are released.
Carrot
Cooked carrots have higher levels of the carotenoid beta-carotene than raw carrots. Our body converts this beta-carotene into vitamin A. This vitamin strengthens bone growth, vision, and immune system. Cooking carrots with their skins doubles their antioxidant power.
Before cutting carrots, it is necessary to boil them completely. Frying carrots reduces their carotenoid levels. So, it is better to avoid frying.
Chili
Chillies are high in antioxidants that boost immunity. When it is cooked, the cell walls break down and the antioxidants are released.
Like tomatoes, peppers can leach vitamin C into the water when they are boiled. So, it is better to roast the chillies.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is high in glucosinolates (sulphur-containing phytochemicals). These help fight cancer. In order for these glucosinolates to be converted into cancer-fighting compounds, the enzyme myrosinase in cauliflower must be active.
Both vitamin C and myrosinase are released when cauliflower is boiled. Chop the cauliflower and let it rest for at least 40 minutes before cooking. It promotes the proper functioning of the myrosinase enzyme.
Beans
Beans cooked in the microwave or roasted are better as opposed to boiling or cooking in the cooker. Because roasted beans are high in antioxidants.