There are many ways to prepare food. How does one cook to retain the most nutritional value? Select the right method to cook different foods for the best health and energy. Heat can destroy vitamins in many foods. Reheating foods also loses nutrients in food. Cooking for shorter cooking times and at lower temperatures retains more nutrition. Learning about different cooking methods and their pros and cons is important for health.

Personal Story

I was young when I started learning how to cook. I didn’t give much thought to how cooking affected the nutrients of our food. I am still learning tips for preparing food for the best nutrition.

Cooking Methods

There are many ways to cook our food. Let’s look at how cooking methods affect nutrition.

• Frying- frying at high heat or in the wrong oil damages the nutrients of food.
• Grill, broiling- generally good, but there are carcinogens that form from the fat hitting the heat of the grill.
• Microwaving-microwaving uses less water and heat, so food retains more nutrients. However, some people say microwaving food produces “dead food” because the way heating the food changes the molecular structure of the food, resulting in less nutritional value.
• Poaching, simmering, boiling- Poaching is a good way to cook and eggs ae a good food to cook this way. Simmering vegetables for a short time is a healthy way of cooking. Boiling in a small amount of water softens harder foods. Broccoli, carrots, and zucchini are a good food to prepare this way. After boiling, use the remaining liquid to flavor smoothies so the vitamins caught in the water are not thrown out. Roasting and baking- root vegetables are good roasted in coconut oil.
• Sautéing and Stir-frying-Using some coconut oil to sear the meat, vegetables, and rice or quinoa.
• Steaming- Cooking foe a short time in steamer basket where a pot of water is boiling. The food doesn’t touch the water, so more nutrients are left in the food. Broccoli is best lightly steamed.

Of course, not cooking at all could be considered a cooking method. Some foods are best eaten raw, and others are not.

Action Step

Start by choosing nutritious foods to eat. Fresh and local produce is best. Frozen foods keep their nutrition. Carefully cooked food is healthful. If you want nutritious eating, be sure to  keep learning how to cook your food.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. How do you prepare nutritious food? Share your knowledge with us in the comment section.