YOU’d be forgiven if you thought that raw is always healthier than
cooked. For many fruits and vegetables, that’s certainly the case; but it’s not
always the case.
Cooking some vegetables actually breaks down their tough
cellular structure and makes it easier for the body to adsorb nutrients. Of
course, by cooking, we mean cooking them the right way. The best thing to you
can do is rid yourself of the idea that raw is always healthier than cooked.
Spinach
Cooking spinach boosts your body’s ability to absorb all the
fantastic nutrients this leafy green is loaded with, like calcium, iron,
magnesium, lutein and antioxidants like beta-carotene. The amount of calcium,
for example, actually triples when you cook spinach.
Cooking mushrooms isn’t just the healthier option, it’s also the
safer option. There are several types of mushrooms that are only safe to eat
cooked, and even the ones more commonly served raw, like button mushrooms, are
hard on your digestion. Mushrooms have very tough cellular structures, so
cooking really does wonders on drawing out their nutrients, making them more
digestible, and killing any toxins they may contain.
Cooking tomatoes boosts the amount of lycopene that is released
into the body. Raw tomatoes, on the other hand, only release about four per
cent of this antioxidant that has been linked to lower rates of heart disease
and cancer.
Carrots will help improve your vision, thanks to high levels of
beta-carotene, an antioxidant that your body converts into Vitamin A. Raw
carrots – and the beta-carotene they contain – are somewhat difficult for our
bodies to digest. But cooking breaks down the tough veggie and, in turn, boosts
their nutritional value.
Source: care2.com
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