Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

Eating

Browsing
Cooking Tips

Eating Beans Raw: Why It’s Not a Good Idea

Eating beans raw is not a good idea, although many other vegetables are fine to eat raw. Uncooked, legumes contain phasin, which has many undesirable side effects.

That’s why you shouldn’t eat beans raw

Raw fruit or vegetable sticks are considered a healthy snack. Unlike carrots or cucumbers, however, it is better not to use raw beans. It is also not advisable to try a piece of uncooked bean when preparing it.

This is because raw beans contain phasin, according to the Bavarian consumer advice center. This is a mixture of lectins, a toxic protein compound. It consists of the amino acids glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, alanine, tyrosine, lysine and arginine. Phasin is found in raw vegetables, especially kidney beans and other legumes such as red and white kidney beans.

Phasin is toxic to humans because it causes red blood cells to stick together. Above a certain dose, the consumption of green beans leads to vomiting, diarrhea, stomach and intestinal problems or headaches. According to the Bavarian consumer center, five to six beans are enough for children to show symptoms. With red kidney beans, adults can experience side effects after eating four to five seeds, while with kidney beans it has to be a good handful. Symptoms of poisoning usually appear two to three hours after consumption.

In the worst case, fatal poisoning is also possible. However, this requires a very large amount of beans.

You should keep this in mind when eating beans

So that you can enjoy your beans without side effects, we have a few tips for you below:

Boil the beans for at least 10 minutes. According to the Bavarian consumer advice center, the phasin is destroyed and you run no risk of poisoning yourself.
Discard the bean water after soaking, as it contains phasin. You can reuse the cooking water: Use bean water: 5 surprising ways.
Be careful with sprouting beans or legumes. Sprouting reduces the phasin content, but you should still blanch or boil them briefly. Due to the lower phasin content, blanching would also suffice here.
Keep small children away from uncooked beans. They are more prone to side effects due to their light weight and don’t yet know that uncooked beans are not good for them.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Kohlrabi Raw: is That Healthy?

Eat kohlrabi raw – it tastes good and is healthy. Some even prefer raw kohlrabi to cooked. We have summarized the most important information for you.

You can safely eat kohlrabi raw. Kohlrabi is actually particularly healthy raw. Although the green-whitish tuber is available all year round, it is actually only in season from May to October. Only then will you get them from regional cultivation. The remaining months the vegetables come from Italy or Spain.

Due to the high amounts of CO2 emissions that arise during long transport routes, it makes sense from an ecological perspective to buy kohlrabi as seasonally and regionally as possible. The rest of the year you can use other vegetables. You can find out when which fruit and vegetables are in season in our seasonal calendar.

Eating kohlrabi raw: these are the advantages

Kohlrabi tastes mild and slightly sweet and sometimes has a nutty aroma. The tuber contains a lot of water and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Kohlrabi is particularly rich in vitamin C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

You can benefit from all these nutrients especially if you eat kohlrabi raw. Some micronutrients are destroyed during cooking because they are heat-sensitive or water-soluble. That’s why other vegetables are even healthier if you eat them raw. You can find out more about this here: You should rather eat these 6 types of vegetables raw

Kohlrabi has very few calories: the tuber contains about 27 kilocalories per 100 grams. It also consists of about six percent carbohydrates. Protein and fat are only present in negligibly small amounts.

By the way: did you know that you can use the kohlrabi leaves? Read more about this in our article Kohlrabi leaves: The leaves are so tasty to use The leaves contain a lot of vitamin C – even more than the tuber itself.

Eating kohlrabi raw: tips for preparation

You can always eat kohlrabi raw. If the leaves are intensely green and not wilted, the tuber is still particularly fresh and aromatic. But even cabbage with slightly wilted leaves is usually still edible. However, you should consume it promptly.

Basically, it is advisable to remove the stalks and leaves immediately after buying, as they remove moisture from the kohlrabi. You can then prepare the leaves immediately or store them separately in the fridge. Tip: If you wrap kohlrabi in a damp cloth and store it in the fridge, it will last a little longer.

You can eat the kohlrabi bowl with it. It is not poisonous, but often tastes quite bitter and is sometimes woody. This should tend to be less the case with smaller tubers. Depending on the variety, the shell can also be quite hard, making it difficult to chew.

When buying, you should use organically grown kohlrabi if possible. In this way you support sustainable agriculture that complies with ecological standards in cultivation and production and, in particular, avoids the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Brussels Sprouts Raw: You Should Pay Attention to This

Eating Brussels sprouts raw is possible in principle, but can put your digestion to the test. Here you can find out how to prepare the small cabbage florets as easily digestible as raw food.

Brussels sprouts are in season in Germany between September and March. It is therefore a popular ingredient, especially in autumn and winter cuisine. It is usually served boiled, fried or gratinated – for example as a Brussels sprouts casserole, Brussels sprouts in a pan or Brussels sprouts stew. Recipes with uncooked Brussels sprouts are rarer.

In principle, it is possible to eat brussels sprouts raw – the uncooked kale florets are not poisonous or otherwise harmful. However, they can be difficult to digest. You can prevent this by preparing them as gently as possible on the stomach.

Eat brussels sprouts raw – this is the most digestible way

Brussels sprouts have a slight bitter note both cooked and uncooked. For this reason, the prejudice persists that the raw leaves are poisonous. In fact, a bitter taste in some types of vegetables is a warning signal: in zucchini or pumpkins, for example, it can indicate that the toxic substance cucurbitacin has formed. With Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, the slightly bitter aroma is normal and therefore not a cause for concern.

Cooked Brussels sprouts are one of the more digestible types of cabbage. However, it is harder to digest raw and can lead to flatulence and other digestive problems. This is mainly due to its high fiber content. If raw cabbage always causes problems for your stomach, you should also be careful with Brussels sprouts. Then try a smaller amount first to see how your body reacts to the uncooked Brussels sprouts.

Eating Brussels sprouts raw: Preparation and recipe ideas

The florets harvested from November are best suited for recipes with raw Brussels sprouts. They have usually been exposed to freezing temperatures and taste milder and sweeter as a result. When cleaning Brussels sprouts, it is also best to remove the outer, dark green leaves. They are usually dry, fibrous and taste less pleasant than the light green inner leaves, especially when raw.

You can eat Brussels sprouts raw, for example, by preparing them as a salad. Some recipes for Brussels sprouts salad use pre-steamed Brussels sprouts—the florets are usually cut in half. If you use raw Brussels sprouts for salad, you should chop them up as finely as possible. This makes it easier to digest and easier to digest. For example, cut the florets into thin slices, grate them or pluck off the leaves individually.

You can dress the raw Brussels sprouts salad with a classic vinaigrette, a honey-mustard dressing or a lemon dressing, for example. Walnuts are particularly suitable as a topping because they harmonize with the slightly bitter note of the cabbage. You can add other ingredients to taste. A few Brussels sprouts also add an interesting touch to a classic mixed salad.

Tip: It is best to buy your groceries seasonally and regionally and, if possible, pay attention to organic quality. We can recommend the organic seals from Demeter, Bioland and Naturland, as they follow stricter criteria than the EU organic seal. In this way you contribute to biodiversity and soil protection.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Kale Raw: You Should Know That

Eating kale raw provides you with more nutrients than the cooked version. In this way, kale lives up to its reputation as a power vegetable.

Properties of Kale

Kale is healthy and one of the winter vegetables with the highest nutrient content. Eating kale raw is worthwhile because it preserves more of its valuable ingredients. Per 100 grams, kale contains 210 milligrams of calcium, 450 milligrams of potassium, 30 milligrams of magnesium, 1.9 milligrams of iron, 35 milligrams of sodium and many vitamins, such as 105 milligrams of vitamin C.

The dietary fibers it contains ensure that you feel full for a long time. In addition, kale is low in calories because it is mostly water. Furthermore, the cabbage variety is said to have a blood-forming, water-flushing and cancer-preventing effect.

However, kale can cause flatulence and abdominal pain due to the fibers it contains. However, you can counteract this with a few home remedies:

Spices such as fennel, coriander, cumin, cardamom or ginger relieve flatulence and go well with cabbage.
A fennel-anise-cumin tea after a meal also reduces abdominal pain and flatulence.
Exercise ensures that your bowel activity increases. A walk after eating also ensures less unpleasant flatulence.
A hot water bottle can also help.

Simply enjoy kale raw

In northern Germany, kale is traditionally prepared in winter with pinkel, boiled sausage and smoked pork loin. But it can also be served vegetarian in a variety of ways, more about this here: Kale: vegetarian recipe ideas for cooking at home. However, some nutrients are lost during cooking.

Like other types of cabbage, you can also eat kale raw. In this way, more of the healthy ingredients are retained. To make it a little easier to digest, you can blanch it for five minutes before eating it.

Here are a few ways you can eat kale raw:

in winter salads
as a smoothie
as raw kale soup
as kale chips for in between
raw leaves marinated in oil as a side dish

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Pointed Cabbage Raw: This is How It Becomes Tasty and Wholesome

You can eat pointed cabbage very well raw, because that way no vitamins are lost. We’ll show you how to prepare raw pointed cabbage in a tasty and digestible way.

Combine raw pointed cabbage correctly

Many types of cabbage are difficult to digest and can cause flatulence. However, to make the raw pointed cabbage tasty and digestible, you should combine it with digestive spices and vegetables. With caraway, aniseed, marjoram, ginger or fennel you can stimulate digestion and prevent flatulence. At the same time, your dishes with raw vegetables will taste more varied and easily digestible. In addition, pointed cabbage contains a lot of vitamin C and is available all year round from regional cultivation.

Raw pointed cabbage mixed with ginger

Raw pointed cabbage combines well with ginger in a smoothie. It goes perfectly with sweet dishes and has a lot of vitamin C, vitamin B, iron and copper. Ginger also has an antibacterial effect on the intestinal flora.

Ingredients:

2leaves pointed cabbage
1 piece of ginger
1banana
0.5 pieces of apples
200 ml water

Directions:

Tear the cabbage leaves into smaller pieces.
Cut up the apple. You don’t need to peel it. This way no vitamins are lost. So that the fruit is not sprayed and you can use it without hesitation, pay attention to organic quality when buying.
Then mix all the ingredients together well so that there are no chunks left.
Add a little more water if the smoothie has become too thick.

Eat raw pointed cabbage in a salad with cumin

Pointed cabbage and cumin seeds are a wholesome combination, because the cumin has an antispasmodic, calming effect and relieves flatulence. Together with carrots, the salad is rich in vitamins and delicious. In addition, they are all regional products that have a good CO² balance.

Ingredients:

1pointed cabbage
2carrots
5 tsp cumin
7 tablespoons olive oil
10 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
5 pinch(s) of pepper
4 pinch(s) of salt

Directions:

Cut the cabbage into fine strips, the thinner the better.
Then grate the carrot and put it in a bowl with the cabbage.
Mix together the other ingredients for the dressing and add them to the bowl as well.
Finally, stir the salad thoroughly and let it sit for an hour before eating.

Eat pointed cabbage raw: in a dip

You can also combine raw pointed cabbage with raw fennel to make it digestible and tasty. The fennel bulb is considered a medicinal plant and also relieves flatulence and gastrointestinal complaints. In addition, fennel is very healthy and contains vitamin C, iron and potassium. The fennel season is between June and October. You can use the cream cheese cream made from pointed cabbage and fennel as a spread or as a healthy dip.

Ingredients:

150 g pointed cabbage
100 g fennel
fennel green
200 g cream cheese
3 pinch(s) of chilli powder
3 pinch(s) of pepper

Directions:

Cut the cabbage and fennel into very small pieces. The smaller you cut the pieces, the better the consistency of the cream will be.
Then mix the pointed cabbage and fennel with the cream cheese.
Season the cream with chilli powder and pepper.
As a topping, you can chop the fennel greens and add them to the dip. The delicious and wholesome pointed cabbage dip is ready. You can keep it in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Leeks Raw: What You Should Consider with Winter Varieties

Wondering if you can safely eat leeks raw? We have the answer and will show you what to look out for when eating raw vegetables.

Leeks – also known as leeks – contain many healthy ingredients, such as iron and magnesium as well as vitamin C and vitamin K. You can buy them from regional cultivation almost all year round (from July to April).

A distinction is made between summer leeks, which grow in the summer months, and winter leeks, which are grown in the winter months. The difference between the two varieties lies in the taste: the winter leek is much hotter and more bitter.
So you can use leeks in the kitchen almost all year round. But you can not only cook or fry leeks, you can also eat them raw. The advantage of this is that the many nutrients and vitamins are retained and, unlike with cooking or frying, are not lost. In another article, you will learn more about why you should eat vegetables raw.

Eat leeks raw – you should pay attention to this

With our little hints you can safely eat not only the summer leek, but also the tart winter leek raw:

Especially if you want to eat leeks raw, you should cut leeks and wash them well to remove the soil between the leaves.
Raw leeks taste similar to onions. That’s why you’re less likely to bite into a leek than into a crunchy apple. On the other hand, it is good to chop raw leeks finely and add them as an ingredient in a salad, for example.


As already described above, the winter varieties are tart and sometimes quite hot. They differ in this from the summer varieties. Would you like to eat raw leeks in winter too? You can take the spiciness out of the winter leek by blanching it briefly in apple juice or water.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Garlic Raw is the Healthiest Way

Eating garlic raw is worthwhile – the healthy components of the tuber are better preserved. In this article you will find out why this is and which preparation methods are recommended for garlic.

Garlic adds flavor to many warm dishes, but it can also be eaten raw. The aroma of the fresh cloves is significantly sharper and more intense than that of fried garlic and therefore does not appeal to everyone. For people who generally appreciate the taste, it is worth eating garlic raw: the tuber has healthy components that are better preserved.

Why is garlic healthy?

Science has been studying the health benefits of garlic for a long time. The exact interaction of the ingredients has still not been clearly clarified to this day. Garlic, for example, is said to protect the vessels and thus prevent cardiovascular diseases – according to the Apotheken-Umschau, however, there is still no clear evidence of this. Garlic is also repeatedly attributed an antimicrobial and blood sugar-lowering effect.

Scientists often attribute these effects to the ingredient allicin, a cleavage product of the amino acid alliin. When garlic is crushed, the enzyme alliinase is formed and combines with alliin to form alicin. Among other things, this also creates the characteristic smell.

However, garlic also contains the secondary plant substance saponin, which is said to have a cholesterol-lowering effect. However, this effect can only develop from a quantity of four grams per day, reports the NDR. To do this, you would need to eat a large clove of raw garlic per day.

Is it Healthier to Eat Garlic Raw?

Allicin quickly loses its effectiveness after cutting or pressing. It is therefore advisable to consume the garlic as soon as possible afterwards in order to be able to benefit from this effect. A study from 2020 was able to detect allicin in the blood and excretions of test subjects after they had consumed pressed raw garlic.

In general, the nutrient and vitamin content of vegetables often decreases when they are boiled or roasted. Therefore, other types of vegetables are also healthier if you eat them raw.

Another study published in 2015 examined different garlic preparation methods and found the highest allicin content in (minced) raw garlic. The authors of the study, on the other hand, recommend stir-frying as the most gentle warm form of preparation.

If you don’t want to eat garlic raw, you can also mix pureed cloves with oil to make a garlic paste and gently cook them at 70 degrees. According to the NDR, some sulfur compounds are destroyed in the process – but the taste is milder and there are still enough healthy ingredients left.

You can use raw garlic in dips and spreads such as homemade tzatziki, homemade vegan aioli, skordalia or garlic butter.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Jerusalem Artichoke Raw: When You Shouldn’t Eat It

It is basically possible to eat Jerusalem artichoke raw. In this article, we explain why the raw tuber is still not fully recommended and when you should be careful with it.

Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial plant that forms edible tubers underground. It originally comes from North America. It has been known as a crop in Europe since the 17th century, but has long lagged behind the more popular potato. In recent years, the Jerusalem artichoke has been found more frequently at weekly markets and in the vegetable department of larger supermarkets.

Externally, the tuber looks very similar to the potato. Unlike these, however, Jerusalem artichoke can be eaten raw and does not contain any harmful toxins. Nevertheless, it can overwhelm sensitive stomachs when uncooked. Here you can read what you should consider if you want to eat Jerusalem artichoke raw.

Eating Jerusalem artichokes raw: General information

As with most vegetables, the same applies to Jerusalem artichoke: the fresher it is, the better it tastes raw. Wrapped in a damp cloth, it can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks, but will quickly lose its freshness. If you plan to eat the Jerusalem artichoke raw, you should consume it as soon as possible after buying it. Incidentally, small to medium-sized tubers are particularly suitable for raw consumption. It is better to use large Jerusalem artichokes for cooking.

Like the potato, Jerusalem artichoke is surrounded by a thin skin that you can eat with it. Because it’s so thin, the shell doesn’t bother you much even if you eat Jerusalem artichoke raw. In terms of taste, it is unobtrusive. If you still want to get rid of the peel, you can remove it with a vegetable peeler or paring knife before eating.

How to prepare raw Jerusalem artichoke:

Gently wash the tubers under cold running water. If necessary, peel the Jerusalem artichoke if the peel bothers you.
Cut the Jerusalem artichoke into thin slices or small pieces. You can also grate it and make a salad out of it. Eating Jerusalem artichoke whole raw is not recommended: the hard tuber can be a challenge for your teeth.
Raw Jerusalem artichoke oxidizes quickly in air. If you want to prevent it from turning brown, you can drizzle or soak the slices or pieces in lemon juice after slicing.
By the way: While cooked or roasted Jerusalem artichoke develops a sweet note, raw Jerusalem artichoke has a slightly bitter taste. It tastes good in salads or as a topping for bread, for example.

When not to eat Jerusalem artichoke raw

Although raw Jerusalem artichoke does not generally contain any harmful substances, it can cause digestive problems in some people. Bloating, in particular, is a common reaction.

This effect can be attributed to the high inulin content of the tuber. Inulin is a so-called polysaccharide and is one of the dietary fibers. It is recommended for diabetics because it ensures that carbohydrates from food enter the blood more slowly and thus have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. In addition, inulin is low in calories and stimulates digestion.

Like all fiber, inulin is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. In particular with larger amounts or with poor tolerability, gases are formed that lead to flatulence. If you generally do not tolerate raw vegetables well or have never eaten Jerusalem artichoke raw before, you should approach it carefully and start with small amounts. Eat as slowly as possible and pay attention to how your body reacts. One way to make the Jerusalem artichoke more digestible is to blanch it briefly before processing. It stays crunchy but is easier to digest.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Orthorexia, or: the Fear of Eating “Wrong”.

People used to meet up with acquaintances to spend a fun evening over a meal together. It’s more complicated today because many guests want to do without something, something they can’t seem to tolerate. Are we too scared of eating “the wrong thing”?

Of course, you know about the allergies in your circle of friends and take vegetarians and vegans into account when planning the menu. But now there are more and more people who no longer eat gluten, suffer from lactose intolerance, eat no more carbohydrates, no more fat, no more sugar and so on.

Hosts then sometimes stand frustrated and at a loss between the cookbooks and decide to meet up with their friends in a restaurant in the future, where everyone can choose the dish that suits the current nutritional phase.

When nutrition becomes ideology and neurosis

Jokes aside: eating is no longer just for everyone: enjoyment and joy. For some, it is becoming an increasingly serious and tiring thing that could almost be considered an illness: orthorexia.

In principle, it is a positive development that many people are now more aware of what they eat, that they buy more organically grown or regional products and pay attention to ingredients and additives, or eat less meat because it is more sustainable.

Eating healthy is meanwhile also hype and lifestyle. You no longer define yourself by what you like to eat, but by what you don’t eat. “Food becomes a stylistic device. In future we will define ourselves through our diet,” is the provocative thesis of nutritionist Hanni Rützler in the 2016 Food Report.

Orthorexia: sensitive and obsessive eaters

Experts formulate this a little more cautiously. You speak of “sensitive eaters”, i.e. of people who avoid certain substances or foods. Not because they suffer from a medically certified allergy or intolerance. But because they believe they can live better or healthier as a result.

One or the other overshoots the mark: The term orthorexia nervosa describes an eating disorder (clinically not yet classified) in which those affected have a strikingly pronounced need to eat healthily and food not only into healthy and unhealthy, but for example also categorize as ethically good or bad. Orthorexia was “invented” by the American alternative physician Steven Bratman, who first described the symptoms in a detailed article in 1997.

For those suffering from orthorexia, preoccupation with “healthy” or “right” eating in excess has become an obsession. Orthorectics spend an enormous amount of time devising menus composed of the foods they consider “good.”

In the worst case, this eating disorder leads to malnutrition when the menu consists only of the few permitted foods. There is also a risk of social isolation when orthorectics avoid invitations and restaurants for fear of eating something wrong.

Not every person who eats consciously suffers from orthorexia. And if you avoid certain foods, you are far from being a neurotic. But with the ever new eating trends and renunciation fashions, the question arises as to whether one actually lives healthier if one does without more and more things.

Orthorexia winners: the industry

Allergies and intolerances appear to be more common today than they used to be, and people fear fat and sugar more than ever. The food industry is reacting to this with a veritable flood of “free from” products. For those who actually suffer from celiac disease (gluten intolerance) or lactose intolerance, for example, this is a big step forward.

But it is also a fact that many people buy these products – even though they are not affected at all. “Around 32 percent of Germans claim to suffer from food intolerances or allergies. Of the remaining 2/3, 81 percent voluntarily do without certain foods. Among other things, they do this out of the feeling that they cannot tolerate these foods,” according to one of the results of “Food intolerance – the marketing of fear” from a study by the market research institute Targeted.

The biggest beneficiary of this development is the food industry. It already markets products “without additives” – although it is itself responsible for the many additives in food – and with “functional food” serves the desire for food that has a useful side effect in addition to nutrition.

Now she can sell lactose-free, gluten-free and (newly) histamine-free products at significantly higher prices than regular products, even though they offer no benefits for healthy people.

Are gluten-free and lactose-free products automatically healthier?

In some supermarkets gluten-free products fill entire shelves, sometimes there are even such absurd offers as water (!) without gluten. Only about one percent of Germans suffer from celiac disease, an inflammation of the intestines caused by gluten. People with celiac disease must follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of their lives, as even the smallest amounts are harmful to them. For healthy people, on the other hand, a gluten-free diet brings no real benefit. Despite celebs like Lady Gaga promoting it, gluten-free products don’t lose weight, and gluten-free products actually have a higher number of additives because the product has to be flavored by eliminating wheat.

“Lactose-free” is also a megatrend. According to GfK, 9.4 million households used lactose-free products last year. Of these, only 18 percent suffered from lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance manifests itself in severe flatulence, stomach problems or diarrhea. It is estimated that around 15 percent of the population in Germany are affected. For people who can break down lactose, however, there are no advantages to using lactose-free products – on the contrary: since milk products are the main suppliers of the mineral calcium, which is responsible for the stability of the skeleton, this increases the risk of osteoporosis (although this is not the case is quite as simple as that – see Milk Myths).

Conclusion: avoid orthorexia

When it comes to orthorexia, you have to make a clear distinction: For those actually affected, avoiding problematic ingredients is important and right. And it makes sense to eat consciously instead of consuming industrial foods without looking at them. Organic is always better because it’s not just about your own health, but also about ecologically compatible agriculture. And being a little more vegan or seasonal also has environmental benefits.

However, anyone who thinks they suffer from an intolerance should definitely be examined by the appropriate specialists. Gluten and lactose intolerance or other intolerances (fructose, histamine, allergies…) can only be unequivocally determined by medical tests. Nobody who is healthy and eats a balanced diet needs industrial “free from” foods, which have often been further denatured with additional processing steps than they already are.

Important: Anyone who suspects that they suffer from orthorexia or other eating disorders should definitely seek help – doctors, therapists, self-help groups or other counseling services can support those affected on their way.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Boil Carrots: That’s Why It’s Better Than Eating Them Raw

When you cook carrots, you ensure that your body can better utilize the healthy nutrients. Here you can find out what else you should consider when preparing carrots.

Vitamins and nutrients in carrots – It depends on the cooking

Carrots taste wonderful in a salad or as a snack between meals. But did you know that their valuable ingredients can be utilized even better by your body with the right preparation method?

A study conducted in Sweden in 2012 examined how the availability of the healthy, fat-soluble carotene varies depending on how it is prepared. The conclusion was that both adding fat and cooking the carrots made the valuable ingredients easier for the body to utilize. Above all, however, chopping the vegetables has a positive effect on availability, as reported by ZEIT online.

According to the study, around three percent of the carotene in whole or roughly chopped carrots passes into the gastric juice.
By cooking, the amount can be increased to six percent.
By adding additional oil, the value increased to eight percent.
However, if the carrots were strained or grated before consumption, the value increased many times over: the availability of beta-carotene in boiled and grated carrots increased to a full 27 percent. With additional oil, the value even increased to 45 percent.

Boil the carrots or cook them in a sieve

In order to preserve as many of the healthy ingredients in the carrots as possible during cooking, you should cook them as gently as possible. That’s how it’s done:

Using a vegetable brush and water, scrub the carrots thoroughly to free them from soil.
Cut off the base of the leafy greens and the carrot into small pieces – as you need them for the dish.
Just barely cover the vegetables in the pot with water. The carrots don’t have to be completely immersed in water to cook, as the vitamins are lost in large quantities in the cooking water.
Steam cooking with a sieve insert is even gentler. This allows the carrots to lie in the sieve without coming into contact with the cooking water. Vitamins and nutrients are optimally preserved. Make sure to close the pot and sieve insert with a suitable lid. This will ensure that the steam cooks the carrots properly.
The cooking time in the sieve insert is slightly longer than when cooking in water. Depending on the size of the pieces, carrots require between 10 and 15 minutes. Before the time is up, test your carrots for consistency by puncturing them with a sharp knife. Anything you like is allowed! If you prefer your carrots to be soft, let them cook a little longer. If you like them crispier, shorten the time accordingly.


Season the carrots with as little salt as possible. Salt removes water from the carrots and thus the healthy nutrients.
Tip: Use carrots from organic farming. It has been scientifically proven that organic vegetables and fruit contain more vitamins than conventionally farmed vegetables. Enjoy your meal!

 

Keep Reading
By