Lianhe Daily: Health Tips: 5 kinds of vegetables are twice as nutritious when eaten after cooking

Health Tips: 5 kinds of vegetables are twice as nutritious when eaten after cooking. China News Service, October 30 (Xinhua) Taiwan's "Lianhe Daily" recently published an article saying that vegetables are good when eaten raw...

China News Service, October 30 (Xinhua) Taiwan's "United Daily News" recently published an article saying, is it better to eat vegetables raw or cooked? Are there nutritional differences between raw or cooked foods? Raw food enthusiasts argue that cooking removes important vitamins and destroys beneficial enzymes. But cooking some vegetables can break down their tough cell walls, making nutrients more easily absorbed by the body.

Data picture: A worker cuts off the excess parts from washed carrots. Photo by Qin Bin Image source: CFP Vision China

The excerpt of the article is as follows:

Carrots

Most people know that eating more carrots is good for the eyes, because carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body, which is very important for vision, immunity, skin, etc. Researchers have found that eating cooked carrots can increase the body's absorption of beta-carotene.

Spinach

When Popeye swallowed a can of spinach, what made his muscles bulge? If you think it's iron, you may be right, but it may also be folic acid, a B vitamin that appears mostly in dark vegetables and is important for cell growth and reproductive health.

While cooking spinach does not increase its folate content, one study found that steamed spinach maintained its folate content. So why is it recommended to eat cooked spinach? Nutritionists say that because cooked spinach shrinks to a little bit, people can eat more and get enough folic acid.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have a powerful antioxidant component - lycopene. If you often eat tomato puree and tomato sauce, congratulations, you have absorbed a lot of lycopene. But if you only eat fresh tomatoes, then you may only eat 4% lycopene. Because tomatoes have thick cell walls, it is difficult for the body to absorb and utilize them. Lycopene will be fully released only after they are cooked.

>Asparagus

Asparagus is very high in anti-cancer vitamins such as A, C, E and folic acid, but its thick cell wall makes it difficult for the body to absorb these nutrients. Cooking can break down its fiber cells so that the body can absorb more vitamins.

>Pumpkin

>Orange pumpkin, like carrots, is rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, which are easier to absorb once heated.