Keith,

I don't have any references, although I am sure there are many. I would
love to know the answers to your questions about eggs and nuts.

I have read that nutrients are more easily absorbed by the body when
carrots have been cooked.  Maybe it is also true for other root
vegetables.

Presumably, it refers to light cooking, as there is a trade-off
involved. For instance, Vitamin C is destroyed by boiling, or perhaps
boiled out into the cooking water. My mother uses the vegetable water to
make gravy.

Thanks to all contributors for their fascinating and informative
postings.

Deirdre

Keith Thomas wrote:
>
> It is clear that cooking makes a difference in taste and texture (fresh
> flour and bread; some beans) and a difference in pathogens (cooking
> eliminates many nasties in meat and fish) and a difference in toxicity
> (some legumes need to be cooked to make them safe to eat).
>
> Does cooking also affect the nutritional quality of foods?
>
> For example, is raw egg nutritionally equivalent to cooked egg?  Are raw
> nuts nutritionally equivalent to roasted nuts?  I am thinking particularly
> of the availability of protiens and the digestability of the foods.
>
> There is also the question of whether cooking extends or reduces the shelf
> life of certain foods.
>
> Any advice or references you can pass on would be much appreciated.
>
> Keith