http://www.NutritionNewsFocus.com

June 26, 2003
Today's Topic: Can I Cook Nutrients Away?

People often hear that cooking destroys nutrients in foods.  This is
primarily a concern for the B vitamins and vitamin C because prolonged
heating breaks down some of these nutrients.  Most other nutrients are
not affected adversely by any cooking process.  In fact, cooking
improves digestibility of most protein.  High heat "denatures" protein
- that is, the structure of the protein is partially broken down
before you eat it.  This also serves to preserve the meat, making it
less susceptible to spoilage.

Fresh vegetables versus cooked?  Sometimes, frozen or canned
vegetables have higher nutrient content than fresh because fresh no
longer means "just picked."  Produce bought in a supermarket is often
picked weeks before the consumer gets them.  Again, it is mostly the
vitamins mentioned above that decline.  Mineral content does not
change.  Nor does the calorie content.  While boiling in water can
remove some minerals, the amount is usually not nutritionally
significant.  If you are concerned about this, steaming is a good
option.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Cooking methods such as
frying or sauteing add fat and calories to foods.  In fact, half the
calories in fried chicken come from the oil it is cooked in.  But the
nutrient content of the chicken itself is the same no matter how it
was cooked. The method of cooking, or overcooking, does not decrease
nutritional value of food.  Just the way protein structure is altered
by cooking, the same thing happens to dietary fiber.  There isn't any
less - it is just digested more easily.