Good Cooking Methods That Maintain Food Nutrients

Planning a meal is not easy for some people. In fact, some spend a good deal of time trying to work out a healthy nosh-up. However, don’t you think it is such a waste to be preparing the menu for hours and yet you later find out that all that is left of your cooking is actually plain cellulose? Well, tragic is probably the best term to describe this unfortunate scenario.

Let us take the case of the Swiss chard. This green leafy vegetable offers at least twelve (12) nutrients. More specifically, it is a rich source of vitamin C. Cookery experts have found out that when it is exposed to heat for a short duration (three to six minutes), 25 percent of the said substance are lost while a longer time (ten to twenty minutes) could eliminate twice the first one.

So, to get the most nutrition from the food that you eat, much thought should be given on how the preparation is done. Usually, those essential vitamins and minerals are lost through the heating process. However, some variation may also be observed depending on fibre textures, toughness, tenderness, growth conditions, age, size, and moisture content. Nonetheless, here are some basic tips to keep those health nutrients locked in what you serve.

1. Buy fresh vegetables. While frozen ones can be an alternative, the canned varieties should be avoided.
2. When washing the produce, do not soak them.
3. Keep them whole. As much as possible, do not cut them into small pieces.
4. Expose the vegetable to heat at the least amount of time.
5. Add less water so the nutrients do not leach.
6. Prefer microwaving to sautéing or boiling.
7. Always cover the container to trap the steam in.
8. Try steaming because it requires little amount of time and water.
9. Use those boil-in-the-bag packs, and rotate them many times during the cooking process.
10. Regardless of the method used, be sure to keep the cover on to lessen heating time.

Given all these, you will realise how essential time really is when it comes to preserving nutrient content, colour, texture, and taste. So, mind that clock on the kitchen counter if you want to receive the most from what you eat.