Replacing fresh veggies with cooked ones: Keep your diet healthy

While cooked vegetables can be a nutritious and delicious addition to your diet, they might not be a complete substitute for fresh vegetables in all cases. 

It's better to eat cooked veggies than none, but you shouldn't completely eliminate fresh ones from your diet as well.

Here's why.

Nutrient Retention

Cooking vegetables can lead to the loss of certain water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and B vitamins. 

Boiling, in particular, can cause some nutrients to leach into the cooking water. 

While cooking can enhance the availability of certain nutrients, it's important to consider the cooking method to retain the most nutrients possible.

Fiber Content

Both fresh and cooked vegetables contain dietary fiber, which is essential for digestive health and can contribute to satiety. 

However, cooking vegetables can break down the fiber structure to some extent, potentially affecting their overall fiber content.

Antioxidants

Some antioxidants, such as beta-carotene in carrots and lycopene in tomatoes, can become more available and easier to absorb through cooking. 

However, excessive cooking can lead to a reduction in antioxidant levels. 

It's a balancing act to ensure you're getting a variety of both cooked and fresh vegetables to maximize antioxidant intake.

Digestibility

Cooking can make certain vegetables easier to digest for some individuals, as it breaks down cell walls and reduces the work your digestive system has to do.

• Related news:
• vegetables
• cooking
• food
• health
• nutrition
• 25 August 2023

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