Enemies of Nutrition

Above 185F: this is the threshold at which plant-based food start to lose their nutrient value.

What does this mean? It means by cooking over 200 F, your food can lose up to 85 percent of its value depending on how long and how hot you cook.

boiling / steaming / microwaving all destroy nutrition

Evaporation- means flavor and nutrition are lost in the steam and poured down the drain.

What is best? Cooking at a low heat and for the shortest period of time.

How do I retain the nutrition in my foods? Waterless cooking

FYI- Eat 50% raw and 50% cooked. Raw veggies/fruit have live enzymes usually more nutrition and a lower glycemic index. Although carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, red/green bell peppers, potatoes and tomatoes have higher antioxidant levels when gently cooked.

Did you know?

Vitamins=color Minerals= flavor

Boiling: equals vitamin in water

Washing: don't presoak vegetables in water before cooking. Try not to wash vegetables that have already been cut.

Pre-cut fruits and vegetable are soaked in a solution for weeks before consuming!

Try this home:

Carrot test: Take one carrot and grate, now taste. Then take a small galss of cold water and and place a grated carrot in the water for 30 seconds. Taste.

What color is the water?

How different does the carrot taste? Cooking with water makes plants tasteless and is reason we season our food with salt and butter.

How do I retain the nutrition and flavor in my foods?

Waterless cooking

What is oxidation? When food is exposed to light and air.

Examples of oxidation - Excessive stirring while cooking, blending, leaving a sliced apple brown, brown spots inside an avocado, buying pre cut vegetables eating at a salad bar. Drinking day old fresh blended juices.

Fats and oils can become oxidized from exposure to light, air or heat and can create cancer causing free radicals and makes food rancid.

Cooking oil in high heat causes oxidation.

Oils heated past their smoke point are harmful to ingest! That's why frying isn't healthy. Plus, 1 tablespoon of oil = 120 calories and can add up fast!

Oxidation can occur during food preparation or while cooking.

Example: Rust on metal is oxidized!

How to I stop oxidation? cook with less oils, lower temperatures and use cookware that doesn't allow for much oxygen to enter the vessel.