Search the web and you’ll see lots of articles about the health benefits of eating raw vegetables. So, I was surprised to learn that sometimes cooking is better.
In the October issue, Consumer Reports features six veggies that can be more nutritious when cooked. That’s because cooking “increases the content of some nutrients and helps your body use others more easily.”
Here they are in alphabetical order:
Asparagus: Studies show that cooking these spears significantly raises the level of five disease-fighting antioxidants.
Carrots: Boiling until tender can boost the concentration of cancer-fighting carotenoids by 14%.
Mushrooms: CR says a cup of cooked white mushroom has about twice as much “muscle-building potassium, heart-healthy niacin, and immune-boosting zinc as a cup of raw ones.”
Red Bell Peppers: They’re high in vitamin C, and carotenoids for healthy eyes. Both are better absorbed when cooked.
Spinach: Cooking allows your body to absorb more of the calcium and iron.
Tomatoes: It doesn’t matter if they are baked, fried, or pureed. Heat increase the lycopene content, the phytochemical that lower the risk for cancer and heart disease.
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