Cooked or raw? How to preserve the vitamins in your vegetables

Eating your vegetables raw: a real boost

When you eat raw vegetables, you get the most out of heat-sensitive vitamins, such as the famous vitamin C and certain B group vitamins. You don't have to be an expert to feel it: biting into a fresh radish or a crunchy carrot wakes you right up! (Santé Magazine).

But not everything is so simple. Some raw vegetables, like spinach or kale, contain anti-nutrients (oxalic acid, for example) that can slow down the absorption of certain minerals (ConsoGlobe). And frankly, some vegetables are tastier and easier to digest when cooked:)

Cooking: not the enemy you think

It's often said that cooking "kills" vitamins. That's not entirely untrue, but it's not inevitable either. Properly cooked, vegetables retain their nutritional qualities. In fact, some nutrients are even easier to assimilate once they've passed through the saucepan!

Take lycopene from tomatoes, for example: it's a powerful antioxidant, and is much better absorbed when the tomato is cooked (ConsoGlobe). The same goes for beta-carotene in carrots or sweet potatoes, which is more easily released when cooked.

The key is the method. Steaming is the best way to preserve a maximum of vitamins and minerals, without leaching your vegetables (Futura Sciences). What's more, it keeps the colors bright and the textures pleasant. Quick wok cooking is also a great option :)

Our tips for keeping the best of your vegetables

Here are a few simple reflexes to adopt in the kitchen:

• Choose short, gentle cooking methods. Steaming or wok cooking is perfect.
• Avoid cutting your vegetables too much before cooking, to limit the loss of nutrients in water or heat.
• Vary your pleasures! Mixing raw and cooked vegetables is the best way to enjoy the benefits of each method.
• Eat your vegetables quickly after preparation, as vitamins don't like to wait too long.

Tip: if you cook your vegetables in water, remember to use the cooking water to make soup or stock. This avoids wastage and preserves some of the water-soluble vitamins.

In short: cooked or raw, the important thing is to vary!

So, should we choose sides? Not at all. As is often the case in the kitchen, balance is the key. Crunch a raw vegetable for freshness, steam it gently for sweetness... Both have their advantages!

And beyond the vitamins, what's also important is the pleasure of preparing your vegetables in your own way. Because, let's be honest, a pretty dish of colorful vegetables is already a good dose of good humor on the plate ;)

Sources :

Santé Magazine - Which cooking method is best for vegetables?

Futura Sciences - Cooking: steam to preserve vitamins

ConsoGlobe - How to preserve the vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables?