Due to the heat treatment of products, their taste improves significantly, they become softer, harmful microbes and toxins are destroyed. Boiled, fried and stewed foods are safer and may prevent indigestion. But also everyone knows the fact that under the influence of high temperature, vitamins tend to break down. In this article, we will talk about how vitamins tolerate heat treatment and how to preserve the beneficial properties of products.
How does the heat treatment of foods affect the vitamins they contain
Vitamin A. This vitamin is found in broccoli, carrots, seaweed, tomatoes, butter, garlic, and dill. Due to heat treatment, up to 30% of its biological properties are destroyed. In particular, vitamin A is adversely affected by the process of roasting and drying under the influence of sunlight. The vitamin is preserved if the products are sterilized at temperatures up to 120°.
Vitamin B1. It contains millet, oatmeal, pork, liver, buckwheat and pasta. The loss of activity of this vitamin occurs when exposed to temperatures exceeding 120°. During cooking, vitamin B1 loses up to 45% of its benefits, frying – up to 42%, extinguishing – up to 30%.
Vitamin B2. Among the foods that contain this vitamin are mushrooms, eggs, goose, and liver. If such products are cooked – 43% of useful properties are lost, in connection with this it is better to choose other cooking (stewing) capable ones.
Vitamin B6. Beans, sweet peppers, mackerel, tuna, spinach, chicken, and white cabbage all contain this vitamin. B6 is particularly resistant to temperature, so the heat treatment of products in this case will not affect their beneficial properties. Moreover, eating boiled foods containing this vitamin is even more beneficial, because B6 releases its active components.
Vitamin B9. Contained in such products: broccoli, barley groats, champignons, porcini mushrooms, spinach, beans, liver. Any heat treatment is poorly tolerated by this vitamin; because of this, it loses as much as 90% of its beneficial properties. In particular, cooking and preservation negatively affect the benefits of this vitamin.
Vitamin C. This vitamin is found in rose hips, oranges, cabbage, bell peppers, garlic, spinach, and lemons. Heat treatment of such products is not desirable, since under this condition they will lose up to 90% of vitamin C if they are cooked, and if they are stewed – 50%.
Vitamin D. Butter, chicken eggs, sea bass and liver contain this vitamin. Heat treatment of products in this case is acceptable, but only on condition that the temperature does not exceed 100°.
Vitamin E. This vitamin is rich in: wheat, dried apricots, wild rose, barley and oatmeal, prunes. Vitamin E is almost completely preserved under the influence of high temperature, but reacts negatively to direct sunlight.
Vitamin PP. This vitamin is found in fish, liver, rabbit meat, beef and chicken. Any heat treatment is not terrible for such products – they lose 5 to 40% of the vitamin.
How to preserve useful properties during heat treatment of products?
- Be sure to control the temperature – ideally it should be no more than 100°. So it will be possible to destroy pathogenic organisms and at the same time preserve the beneficial properties of the products.
- Processing time should be kept as short as possible. It is best to steam or bake the vegetables without chopping them too finely. If possible, clean and cut food immediately before eating.
- Cook dishes for one time – each subsequent heating of the dish reduces its benefits. Food should not be frozen or stored for too long.
Reap the benefits of your favorite foods with knowledge of the effects of cooking on vitamins.
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