How to Keep Nutrients in Veggies

1. Never soak your veggies, because they can remove key nutrients like vitamin C. Rinse them well before using.

2. To preserve water-soluble minerals and vitamins, cut the vegetables into large pieces or cook them whole. For example, baked potatoes keep more nutrients than mashed potatoes.

3. As a general rule, keep cooking temperature, time, and the amount of liquid to a minimum. That is why steaming is one of the best ways to cook veggies.

4. Microwaving broccoli can reserve up to 80% of its vitamin. Microwaving seems to be a good choice for cooking the vegetables.

5. Roasting or baking is another healthy option for most vegetables, while grilling with little to no oil is shown to be a good choice for celery, onions, green beans, beets and Swiss chard.

6. Sautéed vegetables need a bit of oil, but that is not a bad thing if you use a heart-healthy choice like canola or olive oil.  Add some garlic and spices for good flavor. Chop or smash the garlic first to release enzymes that decrease blood vessel clots.

7. Tomatoes are known for its good source of lycopene, which is a phytochemical that gives the red color. Recent study showed that the antioxidant power of the tomato is more boosted when the tomatoes are cooked.

   Christelle Bedrossian
   Dietitian-Nutritionist
   Beirut, Lebanon