Getting the right nutrients from your vegetables will depend on how you cook your food. The right way will help your body function well and give it a good energy boost.
Vegetables are packed with potassium, magnesium, sodium,calcium, vitamins B1, C, A, D, E, and K. However, they can lose their nutrition when they are exposed to light, heat and water for too long. Storing food in the fridge for prolonged periods of time can also cause it to lose these vital nutrients.
Here are a few ways you can retain these nutrients while cooking vegetables.
*Always wash your vegetables: You should always wash your vegetables before you chop them. Washing it after you have sliced and diced can cause nutrition loss.
* Chop in chunks: Cutting up your vegetables in thin slices can cause it to lose its nutrient when it is exposed to air.
* Boil root vegetables: Boil root vegetables, like potato, turnip and carrots, with the skin still on. Only peel them after you have boiled these vegetables so the nutrients stay intact. Deep frying can destroy vital vitamins like vitamin E.
* Be mindful of time: Pay attention to the cooking time. Extremely high temperatures can cause the vegetables to lose their nutrients.
* Water: Cooking vegetables in large amounts of water can damage the nutrients. It is best to cook your veggies in small amounts of water on a low flame.
* Re-heating food: This method can damage the nutrients and vitamins found in vegetables. Vegetables cooked and reheated after a few days can lose a significantly high amount of vitamin C.
*Avoid baking soda: While baking soda can help you cook faster and keep the vegetables looking vibrant, it can also destroy the vitamin C in your veggies.
*Eat fresh food: If you want the food you eat to be nutritious, then you need to make sure you consume fresh food. Eat the food you cook within the first few hours. Avoid re-heating as much as you can.
