How to eat vegetables and fruits?

The American Heart Association has long associated consuming a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables with disease prevention. 

“All fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that may help prevent heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses,” says the American Heart Association website. “Some of these nutrients are fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamins A and C.”

However, the nutrient content of vegetables changes depending on the cooking technique. Some methods cause nutrient loss. For example, water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B and C and other substances are more susceptible to degradation during cooking.

Moreover, deep-fried vegetables are often cooked with significant quantities of fat that are not present in other cooking techniques. Vegetables prepared in this way should be consumed in moderation to maintain a balanced diet and lifestyle.

Consumers are often advised to buy fruits and vegetables fresh when they will use them immediately and to purchase canned and frozen items for longer shelf life. But Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RDN, the author of “Skinny Liver,” recommends choosing frozen over fresh. 

“I love frozen and think there is a fallacy in many minds that the frozen option is not as good,” she said. “The data, in fact, shows that frozen options can be more nutrient-dense since they are frozen at peak ripeness which retains all the nutrients.” 

Frozen options also last longer and do not run the risk of spoiling before you get a chance to eat them.