Vegetables and fruits are two of the most frequently recommended food groups for a very good reason: Both provide a wealth of essential nutrients and compounds, but contain relatively few calories. Thus, eating a lot of vegetables improves your diet and your waistline. Best of all, you reap such benefits while protecting your health and quality of life.
Features of Vegetables
Many types of vegetables contain significant amounts of the vitamin folate, the mineral potassium and vitamins A, C and E. These nutrients contribute to better eyesight, healthier skin and teeth, the formation of blood cells and other biological and physical characteristics. Vegetables also provide considerable quantities of important compounds such as antioxidants, fiber and plant-derived phytochemicals. The substances perform functions ranging from helping to lower your risk of certain medical conditions to making you feel full and facilitating waste removal from your body.
Raw Benefits
Some people believe that raw vegetables retain more nutrients and beneficial compounds than cooked vegetables, therefore vegetables must be healthier when eaten raw than when cooked. This belief is accurate in some cases, but not so in others, explains the magazine "Scientific American." The difference depends on which nutrients and compounds are under consideration. For instance, cooked vegetables usually have a lower amount of the antioxidant commonly called vitamin C than their raw counterparts. Heat from the cooking process and submersion in water both destroy vitamin C. If you are concerned about consuming as much of that particular nutrient as possible, eating vegetables raw will probably be healthier.
Cooking Benefits
Cooking vegetables might change the appearance and composition of vegetables, but the process does have health benefits. In addition to making food tastier and easier to chew in some cases, cooking also can increase certain nutrients. For instance, cooking red-colored vegetables such as tomatoes and bell peppers might increase their level of lycopene, an antioxidant possibly beneficial for reducing the risk of heart attack and cancer. Boiling asparagus, cabbage, carrots and other vegetables can increase their level of the antioxidants carotenoids and ferulic acid, as well.
Considerations
Vegetables contain a substantial number of healthy compounds regardless of how you prefer to eat them. Consequently, the most important issue when it comes to vegetables is making sure you consume enough of them to receive the many health benefits they provide. People who prefer raw vegetables should wash them thoroughly to remove all dirt and substances such as pesticides. Keeping the skin on vegetables that have such an outer layer also will retain more fiber and nutrients. If you choose to cook your vegetables, however, boiling or steaming them will make them more nutritious than frying them.
Member Comments