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It’s no secret that vegetables should be one of the primary staples in any healthy diet, particularly when it comes to losing weight. Packed with vitamins and minerals which can boost your immune system, speed up your metabolism and increase satiety, vegetables provide density to your meals that is vital for maintaining your overall health so you can feel great in your body. However, preparation is key, and the cooking method that you use on your vegetables can make all the difference in the nutritional value you’re actually getting out of your greens. While eating vegetables in any form is better than none at all, this is the one preparation method you should avoid in order to actually reap the most benefits of your veggies.
From roasting to air frying and everything in between, there are a multitude of ways to prepare your vegetables to compliment your meals. However, boiling your veggies can actually strip them of many of the important nutrients they traditionally provide, leaving them devoid of value to your diet and even minimizing flavor. “Boiling vegetables causes water soluble vitamins like vitamin C, B1 and folate to leach into the water,” registered dietitian Elaine Magee tells CNN. “So unless you are going to drink the water along with your vegetables, such as when making soups and stews, these vitamins are typically poured down the sink.”
Many people do enjoy the taste of vegetables, but most often we eat them because we know they’re good for us. When you boil your vegetables and remove their nutritional value, they cease to add anything to your meal. Veggies are relatively low in calories as it is, so stripping them of vitamins and minerals leaves them virtually pointless, even failing to keep you full. Not to mention the texture can quickly become soggy when you boil your vegetables. “Vegetables are generally a great source of vitamin C, but a large amount of it is lost when they’re cooked in water. In fact, boiling reduces vitamin C content more than any other cooking method. Broccoli, spinach, and lettuce may lose up to 50% or more of their vitamin C when boiled,” explains Healthline.
Instead, if you want to maintain the integrity of your veggies, studies have shown that steaming your greens may be the best method to keep their vitamins and minerals intact while preserving flavor. CNN Health explains, “A 2009 study prepared broccoli using five popular methods – boiling, microwaving, steaming, stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling. Researchers found steaming kept the highest level of nutrients.” Not only will this keep your vegetables from becoming too soggy and soft, but they will also continue to provide your body with the very nutrients you expect them to offer without compromising flavor.
At the end of the day, choosing a serving of boiled vegetables instead of a side of chips or fries will be much more beneficial for your body. However, if you want to maximize the effectiveness of your diet, steering clear of boiled vegetables in favor of a roasted or steamed variation will contribute more vitamins and minerals to your system, enhancing your overall health instead of acting as empty calories. You can never truly make vegetables unhealthy, but your diet will be better served with another preparation method from both flavor and nutritional standpoints.
