Nutritionists and supporters of healthy food claim that it is much more useful to eat vegetables in the raw. However not all from them it is possible to consume thus, besides, at some gastrointestinal diseases the raw vegetables are also contraindicated. In this case products can be cooked before the use. However it is important to do it correctly, otherwise they can lose practically all vitamins, high temperature destroys nutritive matters.
Secrets of preservation of vitamins when cooking
For cooking of vegetables it is necessary to use only the ceramic or enameled ware. The pan from iron will promote vitamin destruction as metals when heating can provoke disintegration of some biologically active agents.
All process of preparation has to take place surely a baking plate densely closed opaque cover. It will protect vegetables from penetration of oxygen and light which in the course of preparation also lead to destruction of mineral substances and vitamins. Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C is especially sensitive to them.
To keep as much as possible nutritive matters, it is important to cook vegetables whole, it is desirable in a peel. Especially such as potatoes, carrots, squash. By the way, the peel of the last contains too many vitamins so it isn't recommended to cut off it anyway. It is important to add vegetables to already boiling water. In this case the amount of ascorbic acid, for example, will be reduced by only 7%, but not for 35%. Liquid at the same time shouldn't be much – enough that it exceeded the level of products on 1 cm. If it is necessary to cook the vegetables demanding long cooking, for example, beet it is possible to pour slightly more liquid at once. After vegetables already are in a pan, fire should be reduced to a minimum as water shouldn't boil. High temperature of liquid will provoke fast disintegration of biologically active agents. During cooking it isn't necessary to check continually readiness of vegetables. First, it will demand lifting of a cover. Secondly, punctures and cuts will also promote loss of valuable vitamins, minerals and other nutritive matters. It is necessary to cook vegetables before small softening. Razvarenny potato, for example, can be thrown out or used safely for high-calorie salads as such product doesn't bear any nutritional value any more. Will just sate a stomach. That it didn't turn out so that some vegetables boiled soft, and others weren't cooked longer, they should be chosen about one size. Also it isn't necessary to mix different types during cooking as each type of a product is preparing certain time. It is better to salt vegetables how they are taken out from water. Until products managed to cool down yet, salt will easily be dissolved and will be absorbed in them.
Preparation time of some vegetables
Not to check continually readiness of vegetables during cooking, it is necessary to know, what is the time it is required for their softening. Naturally, preparation duration in many respects depends on the size and a grade of a certain vegetable. However on average broccoli, for example, cooks 7 minutes, a fresh Brussels sprout – 5-8 minutes, and color – it is no more than 10 minutes of an inflorescence. For preparation of new potato of the average size 15 minutes, and for old – 20 there are enough. Carrots cook about the same – no more than 25 minutes. Spinach and an asparagus will prepare in 5 minutes, and about an hour is required to cook beet of the average size.