The science of food and its ability to
sustain life—or steal it—is a fascinating subject and one we never tire
of discussing. It’s heartening to see how many people have recognized
that what we eat is incredibly important to our wellness and longevity. But we’re also learning that how we eat—including how we prepare and store our food—is another significant factor in our nutritional intake and overall health.
1. The Making of a Meal
Let’s
say you are cooking a nice, homemade meal for your family tonight.
First of all, bravo! You’ve already made a better choice for yourself
and your loved ones by not eating out or ordering in. But before you
pull out your ingredients and favorite kitchen implements, consider a
few things you can change along the way to make that delicious
home-cooked meal even healthier.
Due to the
widespread nutrient depletion of our topsoil, many of the fruits,
vegetables, and grains we purchase today in the grocery store are lower
than their predecessors in important vitamins and minerals—and that’s
before the food reaches your kitchen pantry or refrigerator. Just how
much more of the nutritional benefits we lose depends on our culinary
methods. The choices you make when storing, cutting, and cooking
broccoli, for example, could cut its vitamin C levels by more than half.
The
less work you need to do while you’re in the kitchen, the more nutrient
value your food typically will have ... reduce the amount of slicing,
dicing, cooking, blending, boiling, and peeling.
One simple rule to remember is that the
less work you need to do while you’re in the kitchen, the more nutrient
value your food typically will have. You also risk creating toxic
compounds when food is overcooked or charred. Take it easy and reduce
the amount of slicing, dicing, cooking, blending, boiling, and peeling.
A Method to the Madness
Considering
the wide variety of food types we’re dealing with, there’s no single
perfect method to follow in the kitchen when it comes to preserving the
nutritional content of your food. But some simple modifications to your
food preparation methods will minimize nutrient depletion and make you
healthier.
Slicing and Dicing
When it
comes to slicing and dicing produce, the greater the surface exposure
you create, the more key minerals and antioxidants you will lose. For
example, slicing carrots in thin, diagonal pieces exposes a larger area
of the carrot to the depleting effects of oxygen and to greater
leaching through cooking. Think about that sliced apple that browns
when exposed to the air even before you can finish eating it.
The
section of your grocery store where you find prepared foods will be
particularly problematic for this very reason. Although a plastic
container of diced melon or sliced carrots seems convenient, you’re much better off purchasing whole fruits and vegetables and cutting them up just before you eat them.
You’ll save money and gain valuable vitamins and minerals.
Simple Solution:
Preserve the nutritional value of
your fruits and veggies by cubing them or simply eating them whole.
Save the fancy diagonal cuts for cocktail parties.
