Vegetables healthy only if done the right way
YOU DOCS | Shut down nutrients' escape routes while cooking
I know that boiling vegetables makes them lose some of their nutritional value. But what if you cook them in a slow cooker and eat the liquid the vegetables stewed in?
A. Done right, veggies in slow cookers can deliver disease-fighting nutrients and a delectable meal all in one bowl. The key is to feature the right veggies and to shut down nutrient escape routes.
Here's how to make your crock pot healthier:
Trap steam. It's true that nutrients such as vitamin C and certain cancer-fighting compounds leach from vegetables into cooking water, but if the lid's tight and you eat the broth, you'll consume many of the healthy compounds that otherwise would have gone up in steam.
Feature heat-friendly foods. When cooked, some vegetables -- including carrots, celery, broccoli, tomatoes and zucchini -- release more of some healthful polyphenols than their raw counterparts do. And another disease-fighting powerhouse, garlic, doesn't seem to be harmed by cooking, so load it into the crock pot too.
Add fat. Stir in a bit of olive oil; it will help your body absorb the veggies' vitamins and minerals. Plus, a little fat also adds a rich, satisfying taste to your greens (and yellows, reds and all the rest).
Don't peel. Give your broth an extra health punch by leaving the skins on your veggies during cooking. Many nutrients live in or just under the skin.
Finally, don't hold back: the more different veggies, the merrier. Eat a wide variety, many colors and plenty of raw veggies, too. That way, you'll get the broadest vitamin, mineral and polyphenol coverage.
Q. Why do I see some foods that say they're made of "unbleached wheat flour" yet they're white, not wheat-colored? Are things made with this flour good for me?
A. "Unbleached" means the grain was allowed to whiten naturally with age. But that doesn't guarantee it's healthy. The only word that does is "whole," as in 100 percent whole grain or 100 percent whole wheat. If it doesn't say that, then the bread was made from refined or enriched flour.
In other words, the nutrient-rich bran and germ were removed, as well as fiber, iron and many B vitamins.
You want all that 100 percent whole-grain good stuff for many reasons: Your body absorbs foods made with these grains more slowly than it does foods made from enriched or refined flour, so they won't spike glucose and insulin levels, and they'll keep you feeling fuller longer.
A diet rich in whole grains can lower your risks of weight gain, heart disease, and gum disease.
King Features Syndicate