Maximize the taste and health benefits of your food with these nutritionist-approved food storage, cooking, and mocking tips.
Does anyone really love salads in January? It’s unlikely, but it’s the new year and the ideal time to get your diet back on track.
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About 73% of adults in the UK don’t get five meals a day, and even though they eat fresh fruits and vegetables, they often miss out on minerals and vitamins due to how they are stored and cooked.
“The general rule is that heat, light and oxygen damage nutritional ingredients,” says Karine Patel, registered dietitian and founder of nutritionist Fit & Company.
So how do you get the most nutrients out of your dinner?
replace carrots with kohlrabi
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Avoid picking up old bags of carrots and potatoes all the time. When you get tired of them, your gut gets tired too.
“When you introduce new ingredients and new foods, you bring new nutrients and properties to your body,” says Julia Rodriguez Garcia, Associate Professor of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading.
“Different products contain different nutrients, and they complement each other in a week’s diet, so it’s good to have this variety.”
This time of year, try persimmons, aka sharon fruit (eaten like apples), and kohlrabi, a type of cabbage (roasted, steamed, stir-fried, or grated raw for coleslaw).
To freeze
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Make the most of your freezer aisle! There are many advantages. Healthspan Nutrition Officer Rob Hobson said: No.
“This means that in some cases, you can get more nutrients from frozen fruits and vegetables than from fresh fruits and vegetables that take time in transit or sit on supermarket shelves. .
Fruit on the turn? “Chop it up, squeeze lemon juice on it, and freeze it. This will retain the nutritional content available when frozen,” Karine adds.
buy with your eyes
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Prices may be eye-popping right now, but look at the food you’re buying and read the label.
Karine explains:
“Buy food raw, not cooked. Always read the expiration date to make sure you’re buying fresh produce.
“Look to see if the vegetables have a whitish layer to see if they’re losing water, which means some nutrients are starting to decrease.”
put your finger on the pulse
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You will come out to the aisle of legumes. “Canned groceries are great. They provide tons of minerals and fiber and are really good plant-based protein products,” says Julia.
“Whenever you think of fruits and vegetables, try to include legumes such as green lentils, chickpeas and butter beans, as well as baked beans.
“They are very good and have so many minerals (iron, fiber, protein). They are really complete ingredients.”
Speaking of fiber, not only does it help regulate appetite, but it also “greatly aids digestion speed, slowing down the process so your body can react and absorb nutrients,” he adds.
chop up
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Put your knife skills to work. “Cut vegetables such as celery and parsnips may increase levels of polyphenols, which are antioxidants that protect against inflammation and help with high blood pressure,” says Karine.
Size matters, too, Rob adds.
Scientist Tim Spector’s top tip is to chop up vegetables rich in sulforaphane (a chemical that helps fight cancer cells and help manage cholesterol), such as onions, garlic, broccoli, and cabbage, and boil them for 10 minutes. to leave it alone.
This activates sulforaphane, so it survives the cooking process and enters the body.
learn to cook (or not cook)
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Some things are better hot. “Cooked tomatoes are high in cancer-fighting lycopene, and cooking carrots and sweet potatoes increases their beta-carotene content, also known as vitamin A, which supports immune function.” says Karine.
Others are best kept out of the oven. “Most fruits contain high levels of B vitamins and vitamin C. These are water soluble and heat sensitive, so most fruits should not be cooked or soaked in water to preserve them.
of their nutrients. ” adds Rob.
Reduce cooking time by getting used to eating vegetables al dente. ”
avoid boiling
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Boil everything by default? Think again. Rob says:
“By steaming or frying, try to retain as much of the nutrients as possible. The cooking water in the steamer contains nutrients that have leached out of the vegetables, so it can be reused to make rice and sauces. .”
Using a basket steamer also means you can cook more vegetables with less water and energy. Close the lid tightly and lower the temperature a bit for even more savings.
do not peel
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I’m not saying you should start eating banana peels (although some people swear they use them in curries), but it’s time to stop peeling them.
“Fruit peels and skins typically contain more vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber than the pulp,” says Karine.
“You can eat the skins of kiwis, apples and peaches. In fact, kiwi skins are richer in vitamin C and fiber than the pulp! Citrus peels can be eaten raw or cooked. increase.”
The same goes for root vegetables and potatoes.
Eating a “whole” food diet
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There are some fruits and vegetables that we don’t really get the most out of, Karine warns, and we put half of them in the jar without thinking. equally nutritious. Similarly, set aside tops of carrots, radishes, beets, and leeks.
Always wash them well before adding them to salads or soups. Watermelon skins are edible and safe to eat, are rich in fiber, and contain citrulline, an amino acid that can improve libido and athletic performance.
Also, broccoli stems are delicious raw or in soup. Slice or peel the rough outer part of the main stem and eat the soft inner part. Similarly, cauliflower stems and leaves are edible and rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and vitamins.
meet your match
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It’s not just about taste, it’s also a perfect match for food. “Combine foods to maximize absorption,” suggests Karine.
“For example, fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K (vitamin A) found in sweet potatoes and carrots, eggs and salmon (vitamin D), and spinach (vitamins E and K) are most important in a healthy diet. Well absorbed: fats like avocado, olive oil, and nuts are better for you than saturated fats.
Consume foods that are not rich in heme iron (plant-based iron sources) along with a vitamin C source to support iron absorption to support red blood cells.
For example, eat lentils with tomatoes or combine spinach and strawberries in a smoothie. ”
