Smarter Vegetable Cooking

The next favorable method is to grill the veggies. Even though the temperature is higher, the cooking time will only be for five to 12 minutes. Again, no water is used. Avoid charring the vegetables. That means they have been on the grill for too long at a high temperature.

Sauteing or stir-frying is another excellent way to preserve nutrients in vegetables. This uses medium to high temperature but no water and a very short cooking time.

One cooking method that may be a surprise for its high retention of antioxidants, is microwaving. Add no more than 1 tablespoon of water for each cup of vegetables. Cook at a high wattage but for a very short amount of time, generally two to four minutes. Use a cover on a microwave safe bowl in order to maintain moisture and ensure even heating.

Least Effective Methods?

The least effective methods of cooking to retain anti-oxidants , are steaming, baking, slow-cooking, deep-frying, and boiling. This is because of the length of time to cook. To increase the effectiveness of the steaming method, be sure to only cook veggies until they are “al dente”, or somewhat firm.

When vegetables are cooked in a slow-cooker, they usually are cooked at low temperatures, but the cooking time is quite lengthy. Therefore, be sure to include the cooking liquid in the recipe itself. That’s because the liquid is where the leached-out vitamins are contained.

is seldom recommended because the fat used for cooking will penetrate the food and raise its calorie content. It is also a high-temperature method.

Boiling is a method that scores low with all the variables of the cooking: water, length of cooking time, and temperature. In fact vegetables that are boiled lose 50% of their antioxidant value! Food is usually boiled in far too much water, as in the case of my childhood carrots. If boiling is the preferred method of cooking, be sure to only put in enough water to ensure that when vegetables are crisp-tender, there are only a couple of tablespoons of water left in the pan. Another boiling method that is an improvement over the “old-school” method, is called “flash-boiling”. That means putting the vegetables in boiling water for no more than two minutes. Then immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Remember that your responsibility for good nutrition goes beyond the purchase. A critical factor is the method used in preparing that nutrition.

Author Bio

DiAnna is a writer of health related topics. She loves to provide valuable information to people looking to learn more health tips and read health advice. Her work is currently being sponsored by popular websites. One of these sites is. Magneto is a new nail product that uses magnetic technology to create new unique designs.