Vegetables and fruits should be eaten cooked rather than raw.

(Dan Tri) - Processing will reduce the content of vitamins and destroy beneficial enzymes. However, there are some types of vegetables and fruits that release the most nutrients when cooked.

Many people may wonder whether fruits and vegetables are more nutritious when eaten raw or cooked? On one hand, those who advocate eating raw fruits and vegetables will say that the processing will reduce the vitamin content and destroy beneficial enzymes.

In fact, eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables brings many benefits, but according to research, the cooking process (frying, stewing, baking, boiling, etc.) will destroy plant cell walls and help the nutrients in fruits and vegetables to be absorbed more easily.

Here are some fruits and vegetables that are better cooked than eaten raw:

Carrot

To best absorb beta-carotene, you should eat cooked carrots (Photo: Snutrilife).

You've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes. This is due to a compound called beta-carotene, which is what gives carrots their deep orange color.

According to Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital (HCMC), in the body, beta-carotene will be converted into vitamin A and is essential to protect healthy eyes, along with the ability to support immunity and bring healthy skin.

A 2002 study showed that cooked carrots have higher beta-carotene content and are better absorbed by the body.

Carrots gain more nutrients when cooked, such as containing higher levels of carotenoids and vitamin C than when consumed raw. Furthermore, when carrots are cooked, the antioxidant content in carrots increases by 34.3%.

Tomato

According to a study in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition , consuming raw tomatoes only gives you about 4% of the lycopene (a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes). This is because raw tomatoes have quite thick cell walls, which prevent the body from absorbing lycopene.

However, when cooked, lycopene becomes more usable and the body absorbs it better.

Once cooked, the lycopene in tomatoes becomes more usable and the body absorbs it better (Photo: Gettyimages).

Similarly, according to the National Institute of Nutrition, cooking tomatoes causes them to release more lycopene.

Specifically, when tomatoes are cooked at 88 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, the lycopene content increases by 25%. This is considered a great benefit, because lycopene helps reduce the risk of disease, especially in people with diabetes and cancer.

Spinach​

Among green leafy vegetables, spinach is the most nutritious (Photo: NP).

Spinach provides iron and folate, which are good for your health. Folate, a B vitamin, is essential for cell growth and the reproductive system. This vitamin is abundant in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach.

Although cooking spinach does not increase folate levels, a 2002 study found that braising spinach helps keep folate levels stable.

A bunch of cooked spinach will shrink to just a handful, so you can eat more of it. As a result, you'll also get more folate.

According to research, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli contain high levels of calcium and iron. When eaten raw, some natural substances in vegetables such as oxalic acid will prevent the body from absorbing these important nutrients. However, when cooked at high temperatures, this acid will be destroyed and help the body absorb these minerals more effectively.

Asparagus

Cooking asparagus will help the body absorb vitamins more easily (Photo: Istock).

This green vegetable is extremely rich in cancer-fighting vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and E as well as folate. However, because of its thick cell walls, it is difficult for our bodies to absorb these nutrients. Cooking asparagus helps break down its fibrous cells, making it easier to absorb the vitamins.

Mushroom

Mushrooms also contain higher nutritional content when cooked (Illustration: NP).

Mushrooms are also a food that contains quite high nutritional content when cooked. At that time, the content of nutrients such as potassium, zinc, niacin in cooked mushrooms increases significantly compared to raw mushrooms. In addition, you can apply the method of quick cooking mushrooms to increase the amount of antioxidants in mushrooms.

Thus, eating raw or cooked vegetables both bring many health benefits. However, for each specific type of vegetable, there will be different processing methods to choose from to retain the most nutrients.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/cac-loai-rau-qua-nen-an-chin-tot-hon-an-song-20250722151311059.htm