{"id":7192,"date":"2023-09-05T19:14:56","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T12:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7192"},"modified":"2023-09-05T19:14:56","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T12:14:56","slug":"the-best-way-to-cook-greens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7192","title":{"rendered":"The Best Way to Cook Greens\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the best way to prepare dark green leafy vegetables, the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThe main purpose of cooking is to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25690509\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">make<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> vegetables more edible, palatable, and digestible\u2026The downside is that cooking may adversely affect the levels of nutrients and bioactive compounds, especially the heat-sensitive and water-soluble ones.\u201d But, as you can see in the graph below and at 0:19 in my video <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/flashback-friday-how-to-cook-greens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Flashback Friday: How to Cook Greens<\/strong><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, even if you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25690509\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">boil<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> greens for ten minutes, the drop in antioxidant capacity, which is a rough proxy for phytonutrient retention, isn\u2019t that much. Yes, there\u2019s a significant 15 to 20 percent drop in each case, but most of the antioxidant power is retained. The single nutrient that drops the most is probably vitamin C, but data show that collard greens start out so rich in vitamin C that even when they\u2019re boiled for ten minutes, they have twice as much vitamin C as raw broccoli.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95676\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19.png 1920w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-720x405.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-19-540x304.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, the vitamin C in spinach really takes a hit during cooking. Even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/7792260\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">blanching<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> for just five minutes can cut vitamin C levels by more than half, with more than 90 percent dissolving into the water after 15 minutes, as you can see below and at 0:58 in my <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/how-to-cook-greens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">video<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Most of the beta-carotene, which is fat soluble, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/7792260\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tends<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to stay in the leaves, though. Keeping spinach in a regular plastic bag (like you may find in the produce aisle at your local market) can protect it. Refrigeration is important, too. Even when stored in a bag, a hot day can wipe out nearly 50 percent of the vitamin C in spinach. Drying is especially damaging, eliminating up to 90 percent of the vitamin C, which suggests that kale chips may pale in comparison to fresh kale. Vitamin C is particularly sensitive, whereas other nutrients, like beta-carotene, are less affected across the board.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95678\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58.png 1920w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-720x405.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0-58-540x304.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Microwaving and steaming watercress, for example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27374550\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">preserve<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> more nutrients than boiling does. As you can see in the graph below and at 1:42 in my video, steaming or microwaving has little impact when compared to raw, though boiling for even two minutes may cut antioxidant levels nearly in half. Watercress is a cruciferous vegetable, a member of the cabbage and broccoli family, so it\u2019s prized for its glucosinolate, which turns into the magical compound sulforaphane. What does cooking do to glucosinolate levels? As you can see below and at 2:06 in my <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/how-to-cook-greens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">video<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, while fresh is best, the data <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24837935\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">show<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that steaming has the least impact, microwaving comes in second, and stir-frying and boiling result in the most significant loss. The glucosinolates in other cruciferous vegetables are also significantly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/mg22730322-100-bitter-truth-how-were-making-fruit-and-veg-less-healthy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">affected<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> by boiling. Researchers have <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24837935\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">concluded<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that red cabbage is best consumed fresh. As I <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/book\/how-not-to-die\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">shared<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in my book <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How Not to Die<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, I always keep a red or purple cabbage in my crisper to <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cruciferize<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> my meals, slicing off shreds and putting them on basically anything and everything. But if you are going to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24837935\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">cook<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> it, steaming may be the best bet \u201cso as to retain the optimum benefits of the health-promoting compounds.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95680\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42.png 1920w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-720x405.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1-42-540x304.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Other nutrients we <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">look<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to greens for are eyesight-preserving nutrients like lutein and folate. Folate is particularly important for women of childbearing age, and vegetables <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25798474\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">are<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the main natural source. It\u2019s been estimated that approximately half of the folate is lost during cooking, which may be true for boiling broccoli or stir-frying spinach or mustard greens, as you can see below and at 3:01 in my <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/how-to-cook-greens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">video<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. But, the folate in stir-fried kale <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25798474\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">holds<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> up better, only losing about a quarter, similar to steamed broccoli florets. However, broccoli starts out so high in folate that even boiled broccoli has more folate than raw spinach. Broccoli leaves are an interesting case: Not only do they start out with among the highest levels of folate, but their levels actually go up a bit when you cook them. Prior to this study, no one had ever looked at the folate concentration in broccoli leaves. They\u2019re commonly just cut off and thrown away, but since they contribute \u201cgreat concentrations of this vitamin,\u201d we should make sure to eat them.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95684\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01.png 1920w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-720x405.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-01-540x304.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Researchers also compared thinly sliced kale to kale torn into larger pieces to determine if a larger surface area of exposure would promote greater losses of folate, but no effects were found, so slice away. This study just looked at stir-frying, though. What about the effect of other cooking methods on kale? There have been many studies on cooking cabbage and broccoli; however, very little information has been available on the \u201cqueen of greens\u201d\u2014until recently.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">First of all, the study <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/10942912.2014.919317\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">compared<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> fresh versus frozen. \u201cThe freezing process is generally regarded as destructive to antioxidant compounds. Frozen samples are assumed to have a lower antioxidant capacity compared to fresh ones,\u201d but kale breaks all of the rules. The frozen kale showed <em>60 percent more<\/em> antioxidant capacity than fresh! But what happens when you cook it? As you can see in the graph below and at 4:43 in my <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/how-to-cook-greens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">video<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, if you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/10942912.2014.919317\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">normalize<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the starting levels at 100 percent, blanching and steaming actually boost the antioxidant content, whereas microwaving or even boiling doesn\u2019t have much negative impact. Therefore, you can boil kale without losing its antioxidant punch. I told you kale\u2019s a rule breaker!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95686\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43.png 1920w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-720x405.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4-43-540x304.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The heat associated with blanching and steaming can disrupt the plant cell walls and all of the little subcellular compartments and spill out extra antioxidant compounds that may have been hiding. Now that\u2019s usually counterbalanced by losses caused by high temperatures, but the kale compounds look pretty cruciferocious by standing their ground.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I often get questions about how to prepare certain foods to maximize their benefits, so I love it when I can bring you videos like this one and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/flashback-friday-best-way-to-cook-vegetables\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Flashback Friday: Best Way to Cook Vegetables<\/strong><\/a>. <span data-contrast=\"auto\">For more on optimum cooking methods and why it\u2019s so important to eat greens every day, check the Related Videos below.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If you have any concerns with microwaving, you may find my video <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/flashback-friday-are-microwaves-safe-the-effects-of-radiation-leaking-from-microwave-ovens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Flashback Friday: Are Microwaves Safe? &amp; The Effects of Radiation Leaking from Microwave Ovens<\/strong><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0informative.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If you eat multiple cups of dark green leafy vegetables a day\u2014as I hope we all do\u2014it\u2019s probably best to stick to low-oxalate ones to avoid the risk of kidney stones. Low-oxalate greens are basically any greens other than spinach, swiss chard, and beet greens. See my video <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/kidney-stones-and-spinach-chard-and-beet-greens-dont-eat-too-much\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kidney Stones and Spinach, Chard, and Beet Greens: Don\u2019t Eat Too Much<\/a><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to learn more.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What about pressure cooking? (I\u2019m looking at your Instant Pot.) <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/does-pressure-cooking-preserve-nutrients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Does Pressure Cooking Preserve Nutrients?<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"et_social_bottom_trigger\"\/>  <\/div>\n<p><script>\n            !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n            {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n                n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n            if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n            n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n            t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n            s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n                'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n            fbq('init', '1582627921973608');\n            fbq('track', 'PageView');\n        <\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is the best way to prepare dark green leafy vegetables, the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet?\u00a0 \u201cThe main purpose of cooking is to make vegetables more edible, palatable, and digestible\u2026The downside is that cooking may adversely affect the levels of nutrients and bioactive compounds, especially the heat-sensitive and water-soluble ones.\u201d But, as you &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7192\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}