Keto Means
Photo by Eren Li Pexels Logo Photo: Eren Li

What is the healthiest way to eat carrots?

Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In fact, researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent.

liveinhomecare.com - Vegetables That Are Healthier For You Cooked Than Raw - FCP Live-In
Is heavy cream in coffee keto?
Is heavy cream in coffee keto?

Coffee with Heavy Cream Two tablespoons of heavy cream will provide 0-2 grams of carbs, making it an ideal option for the keto diet. You can...

Read More »
Last updated Mar 11, 2020
Do probiotics help with visceral fat?
Do probiotics help with visceral fat?

In a study of 90 overweight and obese adults, they found that taking a probiotic supplement for 12 weeks had a positive effect on participants'...

Read More »
Last updated Sep 28, 2019

Vegetables That Are Healthier For You Cooked Than Raw

It’s no secret that vegetables have the word “healthy” stamped all over them when it comes to choosing foods that are good for the body. But, the debate continues over whether raw vegetables are healthier than cooked vegetables. Previously published studies have shown that essential nutrients are enhanced when vegetables are heated than when eaten raw. And, the vegetables taste better, too. Researchers say boiling, steaming, and stir-frying are the best ways to cook vegetables. What’s more, heating vegetables with tough skins, like carrots and asparagus, makes them softer, easier to chew, and easier to digest. According to Amy Keating, a dietitian at Consumer Reports, some nutrients are bound in the cell walls of vegetables. So, cooking breaks down the walls and releases the nutrients so the body can more easily absorb them. Here are seven popular vegetables that can take the heat and provide multiple health benefits to the body:

Asparagus

Asparagus makes the list of vegetables with healthy benefits whether eaten raw or cooked. The green-stalked vegetable is low in calories, high in antioxidants, and contains fiber, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E. Asparagus is tough, but cooking the vegetable will soften it up. Not only will heating the stalky food make it more flexible, but it increases the antioxidant activity, according to a 2009 study published in the International Journal of Food Science & Technology.

Broccoli

A creamy dip makes broccoli a bit tastier. But, heating the popular green vegetable delivers more benefits than just a better taste. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), cooking fresh broccoli increases alpha-tocopherol, a nutrient that serves as a type of vitamin E. The NCI says that alpha-tocopherol boosts the immune system and helps keep blood clots from forming. Besides that, a study published in January 2008 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that cooking broccoli in water better preserved the vegetable’s antioxidant compounds, particularly carotenoids, which are pigments in plants that act as a type of antioxidant.

Carrots

Carrots are the “go-to” food when it comes to eating healthy and losing weight because the orange vegetable is low in calories and rich in vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, potassium, fiber, and other nutrients. Although raw carrot slices go well with a dip, cooked carrots are softer and easier to chew. But that’s not the only benefit of heating the vegetable. Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In fact, researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent.

Green Bell Pepper

What is not keto friendly?
What is not keto friendly?

List of Foods You Can't Eat on the Keto Diet: Grains. Starchy vegetables and high-sugar fruits. Sweetened yogurt. Juices. Honey, syrup or sugar in...

Read More »
Last updated Jun 25, 2022
Does coffee spike blood sugar?
Does coffee spike blood sugar?

For most young, healthy adults, caffeine doesn't appear to noticeably affect blood sugar (glucose) levels, and having up to 400 milligrams a day...

Read More »
Last updated May 3, 2019

Whether red, green, yellow, or orange, bell peppers are packed with nutrients. A 2012 study published in Vegetos: An International Journal of Plant Research found that cooking green bell peppers has special benefits. According to the study, green bell peppers work to bind bile acids, which are important for digestion and breaking down fats. Bile acid-binding has been associated with lowering cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer. Green bell peppers are also a good source of vitamins A and C, both of which are good immune-system boosters.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are not just good for topping off pizzas. Mushrooms are high in copper, folate, niacin, and potassium, a mineral that helps the body maintain normal heart rhythm, fluid balance, and muscle and nerve function. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a two-third cup of sliced, grilled portabella mushrooms contains the same amount of potassium as a medium-sized banana. Along with portabella mushrooms, the USDA analyzed shiitake mushrooms after stir-frying. The analysis showed most nutrients were found to be fully retained when cooked. A study published in the International Journal of Food Science & Technology in November 2017, found that steaming or microwaving increased the antioxidant value of mushrooms. Pressure cooking showed the best overall antioxidant value.

Spinach

Spinach is rich in several minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, and K, calcium, iron, protein, fiber, and zinc. A 2018 study published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology found that the retention of beta-carotene (an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A) in cooked spinach was higher than the beta-carotene in raw spinach. The study also found that blanching (scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time prior to freezing them) isn’t good for spinach because it destroys vitamin C.

Tomatoes

To really boost the inherent nutrients in a tomato, put some heat under it. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. Cooking tomatoes boosts the antioxidant activity in lycopene because the heat breaks down the tomato’s thick cell walls and helps the body absorb some nutrients that are bound to those cell walls, according to Rui Hai Liu, an associate professor of food science at Cornell University who has researched lycopene.

https://www.myrecipes.com/healthy-diet/vegetables-that-are-healthier-cooked-versus-raw?did=545551-20200726&utm_campaign=well-done_newsletter&utm_source=myrecipes.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=072620&cid=545551&mid=37776580258

https://www.consumerreports.org/fruits-vegetables/vegetables-that-are-healthier-cooked/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5643829/

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/alpha-tocopherol

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230011625_Antioxidant_properties_of_raw_and_cooked_spears_of_green_asparagus_cultivars

https://wealthandhealth.ltd.uk/articles/Physicochemical%20and%20nutritional%20qualities%20of%20vegetables%20are%20deeply%20modified%20by%20domestic%20cooking.pdf

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=282452

https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2006/nutrient-data-on-mushrooms-updated/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5643829/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6049644/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raw-veggies-are-healthier/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23478703/

Related

liveinhomecare.com - Vegetables That Are Healthier For You Cooked Than Raw - FCP Live-In
Do eggs speed up weight loss?
Do eggs speed up weight loss?

Eggs can help you lose weight because of their high protein content, which keeps you full longer. That protein may also slightly increase your...

Read More »
Last updated Sep 16, 2019
Is Philadelphia cream cheese keto?
Is Philadelphia cream cheese keto?

Cream Cheese This is a keto favorite, thanks to its nutritional profile: Per the USDA, 1 oz contains 84 calories, 8 g of fat, 1 g of carbs, and 2 g...

Read More »
Last updated Feb 1, 2021
How long does it take to see results from a low-carb diet?
How long does it take to see results from a low-carb diet?

10 to 21 days Generally, you'll need to adhere to a caloric deficit of around 500 calories per day. At this rate, you should start to see...

Read More »
Last updated Aug 1, 2018
Do doctors recommend a keto diet?
Do doctors recommend a keto diet?

Mayo's verdict: While the ketogenic diet may be recommended for some people with uncontrolled epilepsy, the high fat content — and especially the...

Read More »
Last updated Dec 3, 2021