Eat the Rainbow Challenge Winter Week 5-Produce Myth #5: Raw Foods Are More Nutritious Than Cooked Foods

EtR PROGRAM UPDATES:

• For individuals who rejoice Christmas, we hope you had an exquisite day stuffed with hope, pleasure, laughter and scrumptious meals!
• I’m trying ahead to a terrific New 12 months! I hope you’re too. Might it’s full of colourful fruits and veggies which might be much more scrumptious than they’re stunning!

Welcome to Week 5 of the Eat the Rainbow Fruit and Veggie Problem!

REPORT LAST WEEK’S FRUIT & VEGGIE INTAKE HERE!

This week, we’re masking our fifth frequent produce-related myth. 

MYTH: Uncooked meals are extra nutritious than cooked meals. 

FACT: Some vitamins are deactivated throughout the cooking course of, however some are activated. Consuming meals gadgets cooked and uncooked are each nutritious methods to eat. 

WHY DO WE COOK FOOD? 

Roasting, steaming, sautéeing, baking, boiling – we’ve many strategies to prepare dinner our meals. However why will we do it? The process of cooking meals helps to break down fiber and plant cell partitions, which makes vegatables and fruits simpler to digest. This course of can even make it simpler for our our bodies to soak up vitamins from the cooked meals. 

To not point out that cooking meals usually improves its style and aroma, making it extra satisfying to eat. Who desires to eat chilly meals on a regular basis? 

Nonetheless, some say that cooking vegatables and fruits destroys the nutritional vitamins and minerals present in these meals. These individuals (usually known as “uncooked foodists”) suppose it’s higher to eat your vegatables and fruits of their uncooked, raw kind. 

That is partially true – cooking has been shown to lower vitamin C ranges in vegatables and fruits as a result of unstable nature of the vitamin, which is definitely degraded via warmth publicity.

Nonetheless, cooking has additionally been shown to extend ranges of sure antioxidants in vegatables and fruits equivalent to lycopene, carotenoids, polyphenols, and beta-carotene. 

All in all, neither cooked nor uncooked meals could be thought of “more healthy” than the opposite. No matter makes you extra more likely to eat extra produce is the most suitable choice – if it tastes good, you’re going to eat it. The most essential factor is to eat your fruits and veggies, regardless of how they’re ready. 

WEEKLY CHALLENGE:

Strive making ready one in every of your favourite fruits or veggies in a brand new manner! If you happen to often eat it uncooked, strive it cooked! If you happen to often sautée it, strive it roasted! If you happen to’re in search of a brand new thought for candy potatoes, check out our recipe for simple roasted candy potatoes under! Take an image of your creation and publish it to our Fb web page.

PRODUCE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: SWEET POTATOES

Candy potatoes are root greens which have nice well being advantages. They’re wealthy in fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and potassium. They’re a superb instance of a wholesome complicated carbohydrate and are a terrific supply of vitality. 

HOW TO USE

Candy potatoes could be baked, roasted, and steamed. Eat them entire, cubed, lower into fries, mashed, or blended right into a soup. They’re a terrific addition to savory or candy dishes! For a savory possibility, strive sprinkling them with some smoked paprika. For a candy model, use cinnamon as a substitute. 

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– Julie and Intern Amber