Norman — Q: I heard that raw vegetables contain more vitamins than cooked vegetables, is this true?
A: Yes. Raw vegetables do contain more vitamins than cooked vegetables. Vitamin loss, especially vitamin C, increases with air, temperature, water and time. So the less time vegetables are exposed to each of these, there will be more vitamins available for consumption.
Cooking vegetables in water such as boiling can cause the vitamins and minerals to leak out of the vegetables and into the water. Use a minimal amount of water or use the water the vegetables were cooked in either soups or gravies. Vitamins loss in root vegetables, such as potatoes can be prevented by cooking the vegetables in their skin. The outer skin prevents the leaching of nutrients. The vegetables can then be peeled after cooking has occurred. Cutting vegetables into small pieces can expose them to more air, which results in a greater amount of vitamin loss. Try cutting vegetables into larger chunks instead of smaller pieces.
Steaming is a great way to cook vegetables and retain most of their vitamins. If steaming takes too long in preparation, try placing your vegetables in a Ziploc sandwich bag with a tablespoon of water and place into the microwave for one to two minutes. This is a great way to quickly steam your vegetables.
For nutritional counseling, Norman Regional Health System offers the guidance of registered dietitians. Those interested can schedule an appointment for an assessment with a referral from their family physician.
