Cooking vs Raw Food - Why one is better
Cooking vegetables boosts levels of some antioxidants, according to new Italian research in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry – the latest in a series of studies overturning the conventional idea about the nutritional superiority of raw produce. The study looked at carrots, zucchini, and broccoli, which were boiled, steamed or fried. Boiling and steaming were the best at preserving carotenoids or even boosting them, while frying caused the greatest losses – but probably the best taste. For broccoli, steaming increased a variety of potentially anti-cancer phytochemicals. Cooking helps soften fiber, making certain compounds more extractable, and also converts some of them to more active form. Cooking does reduce some vitamins and phytochemicals, however, do not overcook.
