Why is (some) cooked food healthier?

Not all the nutrients in food can be utilized. Many components are bound to other elements that prevent further absorption.

The most well-known example is tomatoes, which contain a lot of lycopene (a substance that inhibits the development of cancerous cells), but it is only released when the tomato is cooked. Cooking alters the chemical bond structure, changes the entire matrix of the food, and some of the released elements are therefore more easily digestible in the body.

Another important example is biotin, found in eggs. Biotin in raw eggs is bound to avidin, which is a strong inhibitor of vitamin absorption. Therefore, from a raw egg, we get only 29% of biotin, compared to 59% from a cooked egg. When combining a hard-boiled egg with a little olive oil and cooked carrots, the utilization rate in all dishes is almost 80% (as oil enhances absorption).

The same applies to cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli. They are healthier when cooked. With a little bit of oil, the utilization is even higher. Cooked carrots further enrich the whole combination.

So if you are considering veganism, you now have a reason to rethink.


Information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.