Comments on: Breaking News In the Fight Between Raw Foodies and Grandmas Everywhere! http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/ Serving up health and fitness insights (daily, of course) with a side of irreverence. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:17:19 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: Mark’s Daily Apple » Blog Archive » Safe Cooking Temperatures http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-75091 Mark’s Daily Apple » Blog Archive » Safe Cooking Temperatures Fri, 16 May 2008 15:18:05 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-75091 [...] the nutrient question. As we reported in January, Italian scientists had found that different cooking methods had varying impact on the [...] [...] the nutrient question. As we reported in January, Italian scientists had found that different cooking methods had varying impact on the [...]

]]> By: Mark’s Daily Apple » Blog Archive » Hold the Fries!!! http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-24450 Mark’s Daily Apple » Blog Archive » Hold the Fries!!! Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:36:34 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-24450 [...] for the ongoing battle between raw foodies and grandmas, raw foodies, you seem to score a major point this time. But Grandma, you’re far from out of [...] [...] for the ongoing battle between raw foodies and grandmas, raw foodies, you seem to score a major point this time. But Grandma, you’re far from out of [...]

]]> By: Migraineur http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-22681 Migraineur Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:34:55 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-22681 Baking is actually one of the lowest-heat cooking methods. (The only one I can think of that employs less heat is smoking.) Counterintuitive, maybe, since your oven goes up to 550 degrees, but temperature is not actually a measure of heat. (Migraineur puts on her Know-It-All, Ms. Science Guy hat.) It is a measure of the average energy of the molecules in a substance. The air molecules in the 450-degree oven each have more energy than a water molecule in a 212-degree pot, but since they are less densely packed, there are fewer molecules, and therefore less total energy (heat) overall, in the oven than in the water. If that doesn't convince you, do as iLoveButter suggests and imagine sticking your hand in each! Anyway, I bring this up because baking might be a good, relatively low-temperature compromise between raw and cooked. Or you could just eat a mix of raw and cooked foods and call it good. :) Baking is actually one of the lowest-heat cooking methods. (The only one I can think of that employs less heat is smoking.) Counterintuitive, maybe, since your oven goes up to 550 degrees, but temperature is not actually a measure of heat. (Migraineur puts on her Know-It-All, Ms. Science Guy hat.) It is a measure of the average energy of the molecules in a substance. The air molecules in the 450-degree oven each have more energy than a water molecule in a 212-degree pot, but since they are less densely packed, there are fewer molecules, and therefore less total energy (heat) overall, in the oven than in the water.

If that doesn’t convince you, do as iLoveButter suggests and imagine sticking your hand in each!

Anyway, I bring this up because baking might be a good, relatively low-temperature compromise between raw and cooked.

Or you could just eat a mix of raw and cooked foods and call it good. :)

]]> By: Brian A http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-22120 Brian A Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:01:27 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-22120 For ovens equiped to do so, I've heard that slow-baking at 170-degrees is an excellent compromise. I first learned about this with an asparagus recipe promising hot, but crisp, stalks as asparagus only softens (then mushens) at the 212-degree mark for boiling or steaming. I think it was a 90-minute process. For ovens equiped to do so, I’ve heard that slow-baking at 170-degrees is an excellent compromise. I first learned about this with an asparagus recipe promising hot, but crisp, stalks as asparagus only softens (then mushens) at the 212-degree mark for boiling or steaming. I think it was a 90-minute process.

]]> By: Mark http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-21567 Mark Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:36:35 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-21567 Thanks for the photo, iLoveButter. Cheers! Thanks for the photo, iLoveButter. Cheers!

]]> By: iLoveButter http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-21560 iLoveButter Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:58:19 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-21560 I'm the one who took the photo (glad you liked it Mark!) and am a nutrition student. Proteus, that's a good question about baked. I would think that some nutrients will be destroyed because of the exposure to high heat, but not as much as boiling where the heat is very direct (stick your hand in a pot of boiling water vs in a hot oven). But don't worry about the eggplant, they're still totally effective if you bake them. In addition to vitamins and phytonutrients, they also have lots of minerals which aren't effected during cooking. Plus, they have fiber too which is beneficial. Although some vitamins may be destroyed by cooking, cooking also breaks down the cell walls making more nutrients available. So, I figure in the end you come up even. It's easy to drive yourself crazy with this stuff... Try not to worry about it. The most beneficial way to cook your vegetables (or not): what ever way you find tasty, easy and/or convenient. That will make you most likely to eat them, and that's the most important factor. I’m the one who took the photo (glad you liked it Mark!) and am a nutrition student.

Proteus, that’s a good question about baked. I would think that some nutrients will be destroyed because of the exposure to high heat, but not as much as boiling where the heat is very direct (stick your hand in a pot of boiling water vs in a hot oven). But don’t worry about the eggplant, they’re still totally effective if you bake them. In addition to vitamins and phytonutrients, they also have lots of minerals which aren’t effected during cooking. Plus, they have fiber too which is beneficial.

Although some vitamins may be destroyed by cooking, cooking also breaks down the cell walls making more nutrients available. So, I figure in the end you come up even. It’s easy to drive yourself crazy with this stuff… Try not to worry about it.

The most beneficial way to cook your vegetables (or not): what ever way you find tasty, easy and/or convenient. That will make you most likely to eat them, and that’s the most important factor.

]]> By: Proteus http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-21552 Proteus Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:21:23 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooked-vegetables-nutrients/#comment-21552 Always good to hear when plant compounds are touted for anything no matter how they are cooked. My question is, what about baked? Does baked count as boiling? Are my eggplants still affective if I casserole them? Always good to hear when plant compounds are touted for anything no matter how they are cooked. My question is, what about baked? Does baked count as boiling? Are my eggplants still affective if I casserole them?

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