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PRESERVING
NUTRIENTS IN YOUR PRODUCE
May 2005
Produce provides an abundance of nutrients. Produce includes fresh fruits
and vegetables that contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals
and are tasty too! However, if stored improperly, they can lose more than
just their freshness. Some nutrients are naturally sensitive and can break
down over time, particularly thiamin, Vitamin C and folate; therefore,
it is essential to handle produce with care.
Ideally, we should be shopping for fruits and vegetables everyday or every other day, but if that is not possible, simply limit the amount you purchase to whatever you are capable of consuming in three to four days. And if this isn’t possible, your best bet would be to buy frozen produce, because frozen fruits and vegetables get their nutrients “locked” in at the time they are prepared, thus giving you more time to consume them at their peak nutrition.
There are several
factors that can strip these nutrients—water, air, light and heat.
Below are some tips on how you can preserve nutrients in your produce
and reap all the nutritional benefits fruits and vegetables have to offer.
WATER
Water-soluble vitamins and minerals in produce can be easily dissolved, so avoid soaking them in water. Wash your vegetables right before getting ready to use them and then use as little water as possible when cooking. Any leftover water can be used in soups or broths since it is packed full of nutrients. Steaming vegetables is preferred to boiling, but keep it to a minimum so vegetables are tender-crisp.
AIR
Air is responsible for the destruction of Vitamins A, C, E, K, the B vitamins such as thiamin, pyridoxine, biotin, and folate or folic acid. A few things you can do to minimize the exposure to air and prevent oxidation is to:
- Cut/cook vegetables in pieces as large as possible.
- Cover vegetables as soon as they are cut and cover while cooking.
- Cut vegetables as close
to serving time as possible.
.
HEAT
Vitamin C is particularly sensitive to heat, that’s why frozen vegetables
are generally higher in Vitamin C than canned. The heating step involved
in the canning process destroys some of the Vitamin C. This is another
reason why you want to avoid overcooking your vegetables.
LIGHT
One light-sensitive vitamin is riboflavin, which is found in lean meats,
eggs, nuts, legumes, milk and dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli,
spinach and asparagus. Foods containing light sensitive nutrients should
be stored in containers that protect them from light damage.
Always
remember to properly wash all food contact surfaces before handling your
produce, especially if you’re handling other raw foods such as meat,
fish or poultry.
NOURISHING NEWS ARCHIVES
December
2004 Newsletter
November
2004 Newsletter
October
2004 Newsletter
August
2004 Newsletter
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