how to cook them to make the most of their nutrients

The recommendation of nutritionists and healthcare professionals is absolutely unanimous: vegetables They must be a fundamental part of our diet. Its consumption is directly related to a lower risk to suffer certain diseaseslike the cardiovascular (second cause of death in Spain in 2023 after cancer).

So, whether we consume them fresh or cooked, Its presence on our menus must be a priority because, in addition, by including them in dishes they can displace other less nutritionally interesting foods.

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In the case of cooking them, one of the recurring questions that assails us is how to do it to We can benefit from its nutrients to the maximum. here are some tips What we can put into practice to achieve it.

-Many times we tend to overcook vegetables. Is It is preferable to cook them ‘al dente’ and cool them after cooking. It is a good way to preserve its vitamins and, in addition, on a taste level, its texture is more appetizing.

-It is preferable to bet on cooking methods in which water and food have little contact (steam, microwave, sautéed…). If you cook them, cook them with already boiling water and not cold water and use the minimum amount of water possibleavoiding those boiled with very violent boiling.

-In addition, you can add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to the cooking water (as long as the flavor of the dish allows that small alteration of flavor).

-When we wash the vegetables: better wash them whole and chop them later (not the other way around).

-Once the vegetables are cooked, you can take advantage of your cooking water (where part of the nutrients may remain) to prepare other preparations (sauces, soups, purees…).

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-Do not peel and cut food in advance (better to do it just before cooking or consume them). To do so, always try to take advantage of the outer layers and leaves as much as possible.

-Try to avoid as much as possible the exposure of vegetables to factors that may affect the loss of nutrients: light, heat, etc.

-As far as possible, it is important adapt the purchase volume to the pace of consumption. This way we will avoid prolonged storage of vegetables, so that part of their nutrients are lost.