[via Lifehacker]

It’s not only what we eat and how much of it, but also how it’s prepared. Although there is a perception that raw foods are better, some fruits and veggies actually benefit from some sort of “processing” (cooking).

The lowdown:

  • carrots, zucchini and broccoli are best boiled instead of steamed, fried, or served raw.
  • microwaving or pressure-cooking vegetables retains more vitamin C (90%) than boiling or steaming (22% - 34% loss)
  • fruit and vegetables are much better fresh than frozen (e.g., canned peas and carrots lose 85% - 95% of their vitamin C)
  • processed tomatoes have higher lycopene content than fresh tomatoes
  • eating salsa or salad with fat-rich avocados or full-fat dressing can boost lycopene absorption by up to 4 times, lutein absorption by up to 7 times, and beta carotene absorption by up to 18 times!
  • different food preparation methods can have tradeoffs — boiled carrots containe higher carotenoid levels, but lose most polyphenols found in raw carrots.

The main lesson: eat a variety of vegetables prepared in a variety of ways.