When heat touches raw food, it can destroy many vitamins and minerals in the process. Out of all the cooking methods, boiling raw food is often considered a simple yet powerful cooking method that can enhance the nutritional value of certain foods.
However, a study published in Springer’s Food Science And Technology shared that different cooking methods have a varying impact on different vegetables. This means that boiling may not be the best option in all foods, but it definitely is the best way to increase the nutrient profile of these four foods:
Spinach
Spinach is rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins A and K. According to numerous studies, including one conducted by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, Japan, boiling spinach helps to prevent kidney stones, anaemia, and supports bone health.
This is because spinach contains oxalic acids that block the absorption of calcium and iron, and forms calcium oxalate, the primary compound that aids the formation of kidney stones.
Sweet Potatoes
Packed with vitamins like A and C, as well as fibre, sweet potatoes become a nutritional powerhouse when boiled. As per Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, boiling can help sweet potatoes retain more of beta-carotene. Additionally, it also enables the nutrients present in sweet potatoes to be more easily absorbed by our bodies.
You can further reduce the leaching of nutrients by leaving the skin on while boiling sweet potatoes.
Also Read: Raw Vs Boiled Vegetables: Which Is Better For Digestion And Weight Loss
Eggs
Boiling eggs is a classic method that preserves the protein content along with Vitamin B7 or biotin. A clinical trial published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the human body absorbs up to 91% of the protein in boiled eggs and only 51% in raw eggs.
Additionally, boiling enables an effective absorption of biotin, a nutrient in eggs which is essential for fat and sugar breakdown, as per a study published in MDPI’s journal ‘Nutrients.’
Quinoa
A study published in the journal ‘Food Science and Nutrition’ called ‘boiling the ‘optimal heated processing technique for quinoa.’ The study showed that boiling this whole grain not only retained 100% of its essential amino acids and fatty acids, but also helped to lower its oil content.
Also Read: How To Make Quinoa in 3 Different Ways, Tells Nutritionist Rohini Somnath Patil
Takeaway
Boiling spinach, eggs, quinoa, and sweet potatoes not only improve their nutrient content, but also aids better absorption of these nutrients, which is key to better functioning of the body. Additionally, this cooking method also helps break down the fibre present in the raw versions of these foods, making it more digestible. Hence boiling is a convenient and effective strategy to elevate the nutritional content of your diet.
