2024-08-06
How to Eat Fruits and Vegetables Healthily
Learn how to maximize the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables like garlic, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes based on preparation methods, as advised by WebMD.

How to Eat Fruits and Vegetables Healthily

The nutritional content of healthy fruits and vegetables can vary depending on how they are prepared.
Let's explore this content based on information introduced by the American health information site ‘WebMD’.

1. Garlic
Garlic is rich in selenium, which helps control high blood pressure and reduce the risk of some cancers. It is recommended to eat garlic raw.
You can absorb more nutrients by eating it raw or adding it just before a dish is finished cooking.

2. Fruits
Fruits, rich in fiber and vitamins, and low in fat and calories, are best eaten fresh.
Making fresh fruit juice is also an easy way to consume various nutrients, but it is important to wash the peels thoroughly when making juice.
Commercially available fruit juices often lack the fiber found in fresh fruit and contain many additives, so be careful about this!

3. Tomatoes
Pasta made with tomato sauce is both delicious and healthy.
Cooking fresh tomatoes can enhance the effectiveness of the lycopene they contain.
Lycopene is a type of carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color and is known for its antioxidant properties.
Adding a little olive oil during cooking can increase the absorption rate of lycopene in the body.

4. Carrots
Carrots contain natural chemicals called carotenoids.
They are known to protect eyes and help reduce the risk of some cancers.
Similar to lycopene, heating carrots increases their bioavailability, so rather than eating fresh carrots raw,
steaming or lightly roasting them can further enhance their benefits.

5. Broccoli
Lightly steaming raw broccoli allows you to eat it tenderly without destroying most of its nutrients.
This is because it can preserve most of the healthy compounds, such as glucosinolates, which are known as anti-cancer substances.

6. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and magnesium.
However, the amount of starch and sugar in sweet potatoes can vary depending on the cooking method.
The best way to cook sweet potatoes, which are filling and naturally sweet,
is to bake them with their skin on.
Source: Kormedi.com