how can I best preserve the nutrients in fresh fruits and vegetables?
The three natural destroyers of vitamins in fruits and vegetables are: heat, light and oxygen. Pretty hard to avoid! However, cooking and storing methods can help retain nutrients. Here’s how: • Limit storage time. Fresh is best when it comes to taste and nutrition. • Store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator to slow spoilage. However, tomatoes are an exception. Their flavor is destroyed in the refrigerator. Hold them at room temperature. If you want to store produce for a longer time, consider freezing them. • Cook minimally. Steam vegetables briefly until just crisp-tender. For example, asparagus and broccoli should retain their glorious bright green color. Water-soluble nutrients are destroyed with prolonged cooking time. If you do cook vegetables in water–those nutrients will leach into the cooking liquid, so try to use those cooking liquids in soups and stews. • Avoid slicing vegetables too far in advance. When we slice into a vegetable or fruit we expose the cut surfaces t
