How does cutting and cooking vegetables change their nutritional value?

vegetable nutrientsImage Credit source: pexels

To stay healthy, it is advised to eat many types of healthy food. Which includes all types of vegetables and fruits. Different types of vegetables come in the market in every season. Many types of nutrients are found in all these. Which is necessary for proper functioning of the body in all respects. Our body gets strength in this. Each vegetable is known for its different nutrients, such as spinach, iron and capsicum are considered a good source of vitamin C. Which is necessary for us.

The nutrients of the vegetable also depend on the way it is prepared. You must have heard many times that if more spices or oil is used to prepare the vegetable, or if it is cooked on high flame, then its nutrients are reduced. Let us know from experts how cutting and cooking changes their nutritional value.

What do experts say?

Dr. Shikha Nehru Sharma, Founder of Vedic Diet Protocol and Your Wellness Expert, said that when we cook vegetables, in this process the nutrition of the vegetables gets reduced, like when we cut a leafy vegetable into small pieces, its air exposure is very high. Due to which Vitamin C and many other nutrients of that vegetable are reduced. But if we cut the vegetables first and then wash them, their nutritional loss is very high. Therefore, first wash the vegetables. After that cut it. Apart from this, if the vegetable is deep fried while cooking, it reduces the maximum nutrition.

Vegetables

Process of making vegetables (Credit: Pexels)

But steaming vegetables causes the least nutritional loss. In such a situation, try to make vegetable soup and eat it, it is beneficial and also fry it as little as possible. Along with this, it is important to wash winter vegetables like spinach and make a smoothie out of it. Instead of adding milk and curd to it, add coconut water to it. So the nutrition is very good in it. The best cooking method is to make juice or smoothie of any vegetable with coconut water without milk or curd, secondly to make soup or light fry. You should try to include every type of food variety in your diet.

use the correct knife

The type of knife being used to cut vegetables and fruits can also help prevent the browning process, such as ceramic knives. Most people use metal, iron or copper knives to cut vegetables. All these fruits or vegetables turn brown after cutting or peeling, which speeds up the process of an enzyme. If you use a ceramic or plastic knife instead, the browning process of the vegetable or fruit can be slowed down a bit. Additionally, using a sharp knife also helps in breaking less vegetable tissue, which reduces loss of nutrition or browning. But the most important thing is to take a balanced diet. If you have to use a metal knife to cut vegetables, that is also correct.

Vegetable Tips

Green Vegetable (Credit: Pexels)

Also read: What happens if you eat millet porridge daily in winter? Learn from experts

keep in the fridge

When we cut fruits or vegetables, the chemicals called polyphenols present in them gradually start getting destroyed due to oxidation. If you keep vegetables in the refrigerator, this process slows down. But it does not stop completely. But it is better to tear leafy vegetables with hands instead of cutting them with a knife. This causes less damage to the tissues.

Also read: Not just potatoes and cabbage, make these 5 types of parathas this winter, you will get plenty of nutrition along with the taste.

Leave a Comment