Why is food preparation important?

If you care about your health, you’ll definitely be interested to know that, with clever food preparation and cooking, you can literally boost ingredients and their nutritional value.

For example, did you know if you put your mushrooms in the sunshine, you will increase the production of vitamin D, which gives you a bigger hit when you eat them.

To find out more, read on…

Squeeze fruit with lemon juice

Fruit loses its nutrient content once cut.

This is because it reacts to light and oxygen which reduces the antioxidant vitamins inside.

This also results in sugars inside the produce being broken down and carbon dioxide released, which causes faster spoilage as well as a change in texture/taste.

The best way to store your fruit and retain more nutritional value is to leave them in the fridge intact until you need them.

Cut into larger chunks as less surface area means less oxygen exposure and more vitamin retention and squeeze over some fresh lemon.

This contains citric acid which helps protect cut fruit from oxidation – and keep in an airtight container.

Pop your mushrooms in the sunshine

Mushrooms are one of few plant sources of vitamin D.

Just like humans, mushrooms absorb sunlight through their skin, which is converted by the body into vitamin D.

The vitamin D found in sunlight-soaked mushrooms is bioavailable, meaning it is easily absorbed by the body after being eaten.

Recently, a randomised study was carried out during which 30 healthy adults were given either 50 micrograms of vitamin D supplement or the equal amount of mushrooms that had been exposed to UV/sunlight.

Interestingly, the research showed vitamin D levels from the mushrooms to be as effective as supplemental vitamin D in raising levels of this nutrient in humans.

This suggests that mushrooms can be an excellent natural choice for those wanting to optimise their vitamin D levels.

Pair vitamin C and iron

For those on a plant-based or vegan diet it’s important to ensure you get enough iron.

However, the type of iron found in plant-based foods is much harder for the body to absorb and so consuming around 100mg of vitamin C will help with iron absorption.

Therefore, the next time you are eating foods that provide a source of iron (think quinoa, bran, wheat flours, tofu, beans, lentils, chickpeas, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds), make sure you are also having rich vitamin C food sources.

These could include peppers, kale, watercress and broccoli with your meal, or things like citrus fruits, papaya, kiwi, and berries such as blackcurrants, strawberries and raspberries, which you could eat as dessert afterwards.

Crush your garlic

The bioactive compound, allicin, is found in garlic and is what gives the food its anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-reducing benefits.

However, it’s easily destroyed by heat when we cook it.

Despite this, a study found that the best ways to maximise the benefits of allicin were to crush the garlic raw to release the allicin enzyme, or to roast it whole.

Leave the crushed or chopped garlic for ten minutes before you add it to the pan because, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

This allowing the garlic to sit maximises the allicin and so heating only destroys around a third of it, leaving plenty for your heart health.

Soak your grains

Grains have had a lot of negative press due to their high carb levels and difficulty to effectively absorb in the body.

Grains like brown rice, oats, quinoa, millet, and buckwheat are excellent sources of dietary fiber, B vitamins, and protein.

They are linked to a vast range of health benefits including reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

However, these grains contain a compound called phytic acid, which comes with its own pros and cons.

Phytic acid binds to other compounds which are then flushed out of the body.

While this helps the body to get rid of toxins and unwanted impurities, the phytic acid also binds to important minerals, preventing them from being absorbed.

To neutralise phytic acid, soak grains before cooking them.

The process of soaking (in water with an acidic medium such as lemon juice) releases the enzyme inhibitors to make the nutrients much easier to absorb.

This process also makes these grains easier to digest.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. Healthy Supplies Shop is  not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of healthy supplies shop  and we do not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.