This is a question I'm asked frequently. "What's the healthiest way to cook such-and-such?"
There is no one method, it's not that simple. In MOST cases, eating raw vegetables and fruit will give you the greatest nutritional payload, but even that statement has many exceptions, and I'm by no means a proponent of the raw foods diet. There's an excellent article here: http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/Nu...lity-food/
However, if you are going to cook your food (and you should) there is a basic criteria to follow concerning bioavailability: The food should cook in as little liquid as possible, and as quickly as possible. Many nutrients are water soluble, which you lose during blanching (boiling). Many nutrients are destroyed under prolonged, high-heat cooking, like braising or crockpot cooking.
What cooks food in very little liquid, and cooks it quickly? The microwave.
Microwaves work by emitting radio waves at a set frequency that agitate water molecules in food. They do this very efficiently and quickly, so the food literally steams in its own water content. This produces pretty gross results with meat (steamed meat?) but is a fantastic method of cooking vegetables. There's these hippy-dippy myths that microwaves somehow irradiate food or destroy nutrients, which is 100% false. There is growing support for cooking vegetables in microwaves, and guess which piece of equipment gets a heavy workout in Michelin 3-star kitchens? The microwave oven.
Try this: Microwave some diced apple, peel and all, with a little sugar, salt, and butter in the microwave. Zap it for 5 minutes or until completely soft, and then blend it. I promise you it's the best applesauce you've ever tasted. The texture of traditional applesauce, but with that tangy freshness that is preserved because of the fast cooking time.
For tonight I'm cooking 5-spice rubbed pork chops with charred broccolini and shitake mushrooms, black rice, and a ginger carrot puree. I'm making the carrot puree by microwaving the carrots with ginger and butter just until tender and then mashing through a food mill. By pureeing the carrots, cooking them in a microwave, and cooking them with fat, I'm getting the greatest nutritional payload from the carotenoids than any other method, even eating them raw, not to mention a very tasty side dish for my dinner tonight.
Forget the bad rap that microwaves have gotten and experiment for yourself. Best used for vegetables that you want to fully cook, especially foods that you intend to puree.
There is no one method, it's not that simple. In MOST cases, eating raw vegetables and fruit will give you the greatest nutritional payload, but even that statement has many exceptions, and I'm by no means a proponent of the raw foods diet. There's an excellent article here: http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/Nu...lity-food/
However, if you are going to cook your food (and you should) there is a basic criteria to follow concerning bioavailability: The food should cook in as little liquid as possible, and as quickly as possible. Many nutrients are water soluble, which you lose during blanching (boiling). Many nutrients are destroyed under prolonged, high-heat cooking, like braising or crockpot cooking.
What cooks food in very little liquid, and cooks it quickly? The microwave.
Microwaves work by emitting radio waves at a set frequency that agitate water molecules in food. They do this very efficiently and quickly, so the food literally steams in its own water content. This produces pretty gross results with meat (steamed meat?) but is a fantastic method of cooking vegetables. There's these hippy-dippy myths that microwaves somehow irradiate food or destroy nutrients, which is 100% false. There is growing support for cooking vegetables in microwaves, and guess which piece of equipment gets a heavy workout in Michelin 3-star kitchens? The microwave oven.
Try this: Microwave some diced apple, peel and all, with a little sugar, salt, and butter in the microwave. Zap it for 5 minutes or until completely soft, and then blend it. I promise you it's the best applesauce you've ever tasted. The texture of traditional applesauce, but with that tangy freshness that is preserved because of the fast cooking time.
For tonight I'm cooking 5-spice rubbed pork chops with charred broccolini and shitake mushrooms, black rice, and a ginger carrot puree. I'm making the carrot puree by microwaving the carrots with ginger and butter just until tender and then mashing through a food mill. By pureeing the carrots, cooking them in a microwave, and cooking them with fat, I'm getting the greatest nutritional payload from the carotenoids than any other method, even eating them raw, not to mention a very tasty side dish for my dinner tonight.
Forget the bad rap that microwaves have gotten and experiment for yourself. Best used for vegetables that you want to fully cook, especially foods that you intend to puree.