Preserving vitamins when cooking: A guide to the healthiest way to cook vegetables

Vegetables can be our best friend when it comes to eating healthily, but do you know the best way to cook vegetables without losing nutrients? After all, what good is it including all those nutritious vegetables, if all their vitamins are drowned in water or fat while they’re being cooked?

Just because there can be a slight vitamin loss by heating, doesn’t mean you have to switch completely to raw food, however. You’ll be pleased to know there are simple ways to cook vegetables properly whilst preserving the all-important nutrients. Read on to discover the effect of heat on vitamins as well as simple steps for the most nutritious way to cook vegetables.

How to preserve nutrients while cooking: Should you have your veggies raw or cooked?

First of all, let’s clarify something. Generally speaking, when cooking vegetables, vitamins are not destroyed – but the nutritional value may be diminished, depending on the way you decide to cook them. The healthiest way to cook vegetables can depend on a number of factors, including the variety of vegetable, how you’re planning to store them and the type of vitamins they contain. For some vegetables, cooking may even help to release vitamins - this is true for carrots and courgettes.

The effects of cooking on vitamins differs. Whilst some vegetable could be more nutritious when cooked, there are types of vegetables whose vitamins may decrease during cooking or heating. This is because some vitamins are heat-sensitive, whilst others are heat-resistant. Here’s a quick and easy guide to each type of vitamin.

Heat-sensitive vitamins

A list of heat-sensitive vitamins and foods that contain them includes:
 

• Vitamin C: This can be found in peppers, chives, coriander, broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, dark green vegetables, and potatoes.
  
• Vitamin B1 (thiamin): This can be found in pulses, potatoes, asparagus, and spinach.
  
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): This can be found in lentils, chickpeas, and potatoes.
  
• Vitamin B9 (folic acid): This can be found in salad, tomatoes, asparagus, cabbage, and pulses.
  
• Vitamin B6: This can be found in potatoes, pulses, cabbage, and avocados.
  
• Vitamin B12: This can be found in eggs and dairy products.
  
  

Heat-resistant vitamins

In contrast, heat-resistant vitamins do not get lost when cooked or heated. These include:

• Vitamin A: This can be found in carrots, peppers, and spinach.
  
• Vitamin D: This can be found in mushrooms and milk.
  
• Vitamin E: This can be found in vegetable oils, peppers, asparagus, and margarine.
  
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): This can be found in milk and dairy products, broccoli, and kale.
  
• Vitamin B3 (niacin): This can be found in minor parts in plants and grains.