Less is more when it comes to cooking vegetables. By less, we mean that the less you tamper your vegetables, the more you get from them. You are actually stripping your vegetables of vital nutrients when you boil them in a pan of water. Boiling vegetables in water can lead to a loss of water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and folate. And while steaming is better than boiling, the answer depends on the vegetable. Make these simple tweaks to ensure that you retain the nutrients in your veggies. So if you want to cook vegetables correctly, here are four rules to remember.

Cooking Method

Remember that you want to cook your vegetables with the least amount of water. The best idea is to steam your vegetables or steam-fry them. If you do not have a steamer, just put a small amount of water in a pot and cover the pot to build the steam inside and cover the overall cooking time. Shorter cooking time will ensure that the vegetables retain their nutrients and colour. Except for your pulses, you should never boil your vegetables.

Cooking Time

Cook vegetables like broccoli and green peas as quickly as possible. Unlike potatoes and carrots, you must just cook them until crisp. Overcooking these vegetables will destroy their vitamin B and C contents. Also, do not microwave these vegetables as they tend to lose their nutrients. While buying broccoli, look for firm florets as they are more likely to contain beta carotene.

Chopping

When you are chopping your vegetables, always cut them in large pieces. Since there are fewer surfaces exposed while they are steamed, there will be minimum loss of nutrients. Whenever possible, boil your potatoes with the skin to prevent potassium from leaching into the water. Here are the best fruits, vegetables and oils for the rains. 

Cooking Leafy Greens

Raw, leafy greens contain oxalic acid, an organic compound which prevents your body from absorbing the healthy calcium and iron they offer. Cooking, however, breaks down oxalic acid so your body can benefit from these nutrients. That said, leafy greens are one of the best sources of water-soluble B vitamins like folate along with vitamin C and those vitamins tend to break down in high heat. Your best bet for leafy greens is steaming. You can also saute leafy greens on medium-high heat for about three minutes. Here's how you can get most out of spinach. 

Vegetable Stock

You can always reuse the left-over nutrient-rich liquid from your vegetable cooking for vegetable stock, stews and sauces. If you want, you can also freeze the liquid and use it later. You can also simply make a paste of the vegetables and use them in your recipes.

Follow these crucial steps to make sure you don't miss out on the nutrients. By cooking vegetables correctly, you can retain their nutritive properties and their taste.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 10, 2019 01:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).