We all know cooking is an art, but believe us, it’s also a science. You have to know the science behind any food to make a dish wholesome and wholesome. Every single ingredient in your pantry, whether it’s vegetables, meat or masalas, contains nutrients that react differently when heated or mixed with other foods. While some concoctions amplify the goodness of a dish, others make it toxic. Likewise, there are some foods that serve best when eaten raw or moderately cooked. Why do you ask? It’s because the nutrients in these foods are washed away when they come in contact with heat. Here, we’ll help you identify some of these everyday food ingredients that we often end up overcooking, making them unhealthy for consumption. Let’s begin.
Read also: Charred toast is bad! 5 side effects of burnt food you should know about
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Is it healthy to eat overcooked foods?
Believe it or not, how you cook your meal defines how healthy it is. Cooking food causes a chemical reaction that makes it edible or inedible for everyone. Health experts say that overcooking certain foods negatively affects their quality, appearance and taste, making them difficult to digest.
Why shouldn’t you overcook some foods?
1. Affects Taste And Aroma:
Do you like eating food that looks pale? Obviously not! Looks and feels play a big part in defining a dining experience. And keeping some ingredients raw or moderately cooked helps you achieve the goal. Remember, overcooking certain foods alters the natural taste and color of certain foods.
2. Eliminate Nutrients:
As mentioned above, cooking makes some chemical changes to the properties of ingredients. For some foods, you will see the loss of nutrients, making them unhealthy for consumption.
3. Lead To Bowel Problems:
Sometimes, the change in chemicals also makes food difficult to digest, leading to bloating, indigestion, acidity, and other gut-related problems. This further results in several other health issues including weight gain, skin rashes, and others.
4. Lead to Contamination:
Overcooking certain foods leads to the growth of bacteria, making them carcinogenic in nature. This mostly happens when food is charred or burned.
Read also: 10 no-fuss raw food recipes to try
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Why do some foods taste better raw?
Simply put, raw foods are those that have not undergone any kind of cooking or have not come into contact with heat. According to health expert and nutritionist Rohit Shelatkar, “A food is considered raw if it has not been subjected to temperatures above 40-48 degrees Celsius.” Several studies have explained that some foods contain water-soluble nutrients that are easily washed away during cooking. Hence, it is better to have such foods raw to enjoy the full benefits.
Rohit Shelarkar further states that a raw diet basically consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and some legumes and grains, which “help reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and also help manage body weight.”
Read also: 13 kitchen disasters that can be avoided with these tips
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Here are 5 everyday food items that can become toxic when cooked:
1. Honey:
Honey is a great sugar substitute for many, but that doesn’t mean you use it when baking. Raw honey contains simple sugar, water, beta-carotene, vitamins C, B, D, E and K, and several essential minerals. According to the National Center for Biotechnology (NCBI), heating honey deteriorates its quality and decreases essential enzymes. Furthermore, heating or cooking it could also make it toxic, negatively affecting our health.
2. Broccoli:
If you’ve been making curry and sabzi with broccoli, then stop now! Experts say broccoli tastes best raw, as boiling releases water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and folate. Some studies have also found that boiling, microwaving, or frying broccoli causes a significant loss of chlorophyll that adds to the vegetables’ natural green color.
3. Almond:
Almonds are considered a superfood due to their high nutritional value. We have it as it is, use it as a garnish and also make chutneys and other delicious dishes. But did you know that you should never toast almonds because they could damage the healthy polyunsaturated fats they contain? According to renowned nutritionist Pooja Makhija, the best way to enjoy the benefits of almonds is to soak and peel the skin. And if you want to roast it, make sure you do it at a low temperature.
Read also: When is the best time to consume nuts? Let’s find out!
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4. Bell Pepper:
Roasted bell pepper is quite a popular addition to several recipes. It can make the dish look exotic, but cooking or charring takes away the nutrients from the pepper. We explain. Contains a good amount of vitamin C, which is a water-soluble nutrient; therefore contact with heat reduces its goodness.
5. Beetroot:
We love the beetroot sabzi. It is not true? But it might not be as healthy as you think. Beetroot contains vitamin C, folic acid and many other nutrients which are destroyed when cooked over high heat. Hence, nutritionists suggest eating fresh, raw beets for maximum benefits.
Now that you know these food items, we tell you to use them correctly in your diet to fully enjoy the benefits.
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides general information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical advice. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for further information. NDTV assumes no responsibility for this information.
(This content, including advice, provides general information only. It does not in any way replace the advice of a qualified medical professional. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for further information. NDTV assumes no responsibility for this information.)
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