Getting steamed over vegetables

Getting steamed over vegetables

Next time you’re planning a meal, consider which is healthier: raw or cooked vegetables? Most nutritionists claim that raw vegetables are the healthier choice, but is this really true? If a fresh vegetable looks spoiled or rotten, it has begun to lose its nutritional content. Vegetables that have been peeled or exposed to air and light for a long time also lose nutrients. It is better to choose cooked vegetables as opposed to those that are naturally deteriorating.

Some vegetables, like potatoes, are inedible when raw or contain natural toxins that make people sick. Uncooked kidney beans contain toxins that cause diarrhea and sickness. Butter and lima beans contain cyanide. No one wants to be eating these dangerous chemicals. Boiling or cooking the vegetables before consumption eliminates harmful components.

Only a small percentage of nutritional value is lost during cooking. In some cases, nutritional value and antioxidants can even increase. Healthy compounds are tightly bound to vegetable fibers. When cooked or processed, the bonds are released to form antioxidants and nutrients that can be easily absorbed by the body. In moderation, cooked vegetables prevent can illness and have great effects on general health.