8 Vegetables That Are Healthier Cooked (2024)

FAQs

8 Vegetables That Are Healthier Cooked? ›

1. Spinach. Spinach is a leafy green vegetable and a great source of calcium, vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. Due to its iron and calcium content, spinach is a great addition to any meat- or dairy-free diet.

1. Spinach. Spinach is a leafy green vegetable and a great source of calcium, vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. Due to its iron and calcium content, spinach is a great addition to any meat- or dairy-free diet.

Steaming veggies can preserve nutrients, color, shape, and texture, without having to add any unnecessary fats through ingredients like oils or butter. To steam, place food into a steam basket and cover over simmering water. Since food is not directly touching the water, vegetables retain more of their nutrients.

Peas, like potatoes and corn, are a really starchy and glycemic vegetable, which can lead to weight gain, increased blood sugar levels, and high hunger levels.

The healthiest foods and diets out there focus on real, whole foods: lots of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, healthy proteins and fats, and limited added sugar and sodium.

According to the CDC, watercress is the most nutrient-rich vegetable on earth.

"Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and kale contain thiocyanates, which [when consumed in high quantities can interfere with the absorption of iodine and, according to some research, could play a role in hypothyroidism," said Sacco. Talk to a physician to determine if you're at risk.

What vegetable has no health benefits? ›

Veggie: Celery

In fact, this vegetable doesn't contribute much to your body at all. The long, green stalks lacks many of the nutrients often found in other green vegetables, like vitamins C and A. Your body relies on vitamin C to help grow and repair cells, and vitamin A to promote eye, skin and bone health.

Good choices include oranges, blueberries, apples, avocados, and bananas, but there are many more to choose from. Fruits are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, and they are high in fiber.

The bottom line. Vegetables are a rich source of vitamins and minerals that support health. While vegetables can lose some of their nutrients when you cook them, other nutrients actually increase with cooking. To get the maximum health benefits, eat many different kinds of vegetables, prepared in a wide variety of ways ...

Broccoli, spinach, and lettuce may lose up to 50% or more of their vitamin C when boiled ( 4 , 5). Because vitamin C is water-soluble and sensitive to heat, it can leach out of vegetables when they're immersed in hot water. B vitamins are similarly heat sensitive.

To preserve water-soluble vitamins, steaming is a better option than boiling vegetables. When steaming, keep the pot covered to reduce cooking time and avoid overcooking. Other healthy quick cooking techniques include stir-frying, pressure cooking, and microwaving. Roasting is a quicker technique than baking.

Carrots. Raw carrots are fine, but cooked carrots are better for you. Cooking carrots allows beta carotene, an antioxidant compound that gets converted to vitamin A in the intestine, to absorb more easily in the body, explains Beckerman.