Cooking certain vegetables can significantly improve our ability to absorb their nutrients. This is because the heat from cooking breaks down tough plant cell walls and fibre, making it easier for our digestive system to access and absorb essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Additionally, cooking can deactivate certain anti-nutrients that are natural compounds like oxalates and phytates that inhibit the absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc. In this article, we share a list of vegetables you should cook before consuming for better nutrient absorption.
Cook these vegetables before consuming for better nutrient absorption
1. Tomatoes
Cooking tomatoes significantly increases the bioavailability of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. The heat breaks down cell walls, freeing lycopene from its bound form. Although vitamin C levels decrease with heat, the boost in lycopene more than compensates for it. Stewing or roasting tomatoes in olive oil enhances this effect, as lycopene is fat-soluble and better absorbed with healthy fats.
2. Carrots
Raw carrots are high in beta-carotene, but cooking helps convert it into a more absorbable form. Heat softens their fibrous structure, allowing your body to extract more beta-carotene, which gets converted into vitamin A, a nutrient vital for vision, immunity, and skin health. Steaming or lightly sautéing carrots with a bit of oil maximises nutrient absorption without destroying too much of their delicate vitamins.
3. Spinach
Spinach contains oxalates that bind to calcium and iron, making them harder to absorb when eaten raw. Cooking spinach reduces these oxalates, allowing better access to the calcium, iron, and magnesium within the leaves. Light steaming or wilting spinach helps retain folate while lowering oxalate content, making it more nutrient-bioavailable.
4. Mushrooms
Certain mushrooms like shiitake or white button mushrooms contain tough cell walls made of chitin, which our bodies can't digest well raw. Cooking breaks down this wall and enhances the availability of antioxidants such as ergothioneine. It also helps reduce toxins and improves the digestibility of protein and B vitamins within mushrooms.
5. Asparagus
Cooking asparagus increases levels of phenolic acids and makes vitamin A, E, and certain antioxidants like ferulic acid more accessible. The tough cellulose in asparagus stalks also breaks down with heat, improving both digestibility and nutrient release. Steaming is the best way to preserve most of its delicate compounds.
6. Kale
Kale is highly nutritious, but its raw form contains goitrogens and oxalates, which can interfere with thyroid function and mineral absorption. Lightly steaming kale reduces these compounds and softens its tough texture. Cooking enhances the bioavailability of carotenoids and improves calcium absorption without destroying too much of its vitamin C.
7. Bell peppers
While bell peppers are rich in vitamin C and often eaten raw, cooking them boosts the availability of carotenoids like beta-carotene and lutein. These antioxidants are better absorbed when cooked and consumed with fats. Light roasting or stir-frying bell peppers preserves most of their nutrients while making their antioxidants more bioavailable.
Steaming, roasting, or sautéing often preserve nutrients better than boiling. Overall, while raw vegetables are nutritious, certain ones offer greater benefits when cooked.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
