VANCOUVER -- Getting enough nutrients in our diet is really important for our heart health and preventing other chronic diseases, and even some cancers. Surveys show many of us fall short of what we need, mainly because we don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. We also could be wasting a lot of nutrients if we're preparing our foods the wrong way.
At Steamrollers fast food eatery, you won't find any grill or deep fryer. All the food that's cooked onsite is steamed.
Dennis Brock, Founder of Streamrollers, says, "We take fresh product in, raw chicken breast every morning and then we put it in a steamer and cook it in its own juices. It makes its own broth, same with vegetables. I think everyone knows steaming makes food nice and crisp and also seals in the nutrients."
But is steaming your food really the best? Some say freshest is the best, raw vegetables. But that's not always the case, cooking in fact can improve the availability of some nutrients.
Vince Ziccarelli, Registered Dietitian, says, "When you cook carrots, carotene becomes more available to the body so you get more of it absorbed in your blood. When you cook tomatoes, the red pigment, the lycopene also becomes more available for your body absorption."
But if you boil vegetables for too long then drain away the water, you'll lose a lot of vitamins. A better way would be to cook them with just a little bit of water or boil them in a soup. Raw broccoli, for example, contains a compound called goitrogens.
Ziccarelli says, "Goitrogens are known as anti-nutrients, which can actually reduce the levels of thyroid hormone in the body, so if you have thyroid problems, sometimes its better to cook the broccoli to deactivate the compound."
Fresh may not be the best, if it's been sitting around for too long. Sometimes, frozen and canned foods are just as good. When frozen and canned, they're usually harvested at their peak to contain most of their nutrients.
If you're pressed for time, the microwave is just as effective. The nutrient level is retained when you microwave as well as long as you're not overdoing it with the water again.
Ziccarelli comments the most important thing is to focus on is to get more of these foods, a variety of these foods, whether the foods are fresh, frozen or canned."
So do get the recommended 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day - most of us don't even get the minimum. And remember not to cook your food for too long or at very high temperatures. And yes, when it comes to cooking, steamed food does have the most nutrient value.
Wednesday March 1, 2006
