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Microwaving Zaps Nutrition

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_http://en.epochtimehttp://en.ehttp://en.ephttp_

(http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-6-2/56040.html)

 

Microwaving Zaps Nutrition

 

Dr. John Briffa

Special to The Epoch Times

Jun 02, 2007

 

Healthy eating is not just about choosing healthy foods to eat, but also

relates to how they are prepared prior to eating. Vegetables, for instance, can

suffer nutritional losses during cooking.

A study this week has found, for instance, that boiling broccoli in water for

just 10 minutes reduced the content of plant chemicals known as

glucosinolates by 40 percent. Within the body, glucosinolates are converted

into other

compounds called isothiocyanates that are believed to have cancer-protective

properties.

This research, conducted at Warwick Medical School, found that shorter

cooking times, as expected, led to less degradation of glucosinolates: Just five

minutes of boiling led to losses of only 15 percent.

This recent research reminded me of a previous piece I wrote which summarized

some of the research of the nutrient losses that can occur with different

methods of cooking.

Microwaving is often recommended as a preferred cooking method because it can

shorten the cooking time. However, the evidence suggests that this form of

cooking can lead to considerable nutrient losses. In a study published in the

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, researchers assessed the

effects of a variety of cooking methods on nutrient levels in broccoli.

While boiled broccoli was found to lose two-thirds of its original content of

disease-protective nutrients known as flavonoids, this actually compared

quite favorably with the whopping 97 percent loss induced by microwave cooking.

Analysis of other nutrients revealed similarly dire depreciations. Contrary

to what may be expected, it seems we can microwave goodbye to a good deal of

the nutritional goodness vegetables have to offer.

In this study, steaming induced only 11 percent degradation in this type of

flavonoids. In another study, boiling was found to reduce the level of folate

(believed to protect against both heart disease and cancer) in spinach and

broccoli by more than half. In comparison, steaming had minimal effects on the

level of this vitamin.

What the research shows is that when it comes to cooking vegetables, steaming

is generally best. And the shorter the cooking time, the better. For the

best of health, it can help to develop a taste for vegetables done al dente.

Dr. John Briffa is a London-based doctor, author, and health writer with an

interest in nutrition and natural medicine.

_Dr. Briffa's website_ (http://www.drbriffa.com/)

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Anyone who can seriously advocate microwaving food as a healthy alternative

should take chemistry 101. Banging Hydrogen and oxygen molecules arround and

changing the chemical nature of food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robin

 

 

" Fernwoods " <Fernwoods

Fernwoods

Monday, June 4, 2007 2:47:39 PM

Microwaving Zaps Nutrition

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