I assume you’ve all heard about how great vegetables are for your health. Here are some keys to maximizing how to get the most for your bite.
Onions and garlic: to maximize the sulfur-based nutrients in these veges (like allicin), crush. slice, or chop garlic cloves, and let them rest for ~ 5 minutes. Since heat destroys allicin, add to foods only in the last few minutes. Chopping and crushing enhances the benefits of onions, too.
Broccoli: water-based cooking methods work best, preserving the most amount of nutrients. Steaming appears to be the best method, although microwaving is OK, as long as you don’t overdo it (the brocc should still be green and crunchy).
Bell peppers can be steamed, roasted, grilled, or stir fried. If you remember my blog a few days ago, if you add a little oil such as olive, you get a boost in vit K.
Tomatoes are best for nutrition if they are cooked slightly; the heat makes the lycopene more bioavailable. If you cook them in a good fat like olive or grape seed oil, the antioxidants are more readily absorbed into the intestinal tract.
Carrots are tough. Boiling is the best way to get the most out of carrots, about 3-4 minutes should do. I find them easier to eat raw. Something is better than nothing….
Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.