Some Veggies Better Off Cooked

Some vegetables are healthier cooked than raw, according to Consumer Reports. Cooking breaks down the cell walls of some  veggies, making it easier for the human body to absorb the nutrients. Some examples:

Spinach is rich in calcium and iron, but to get the maximum benefit the leaves must be blanched lightly and then plunged into cold water. This reduces the levels of an acid present in raw spinach that inhibits absorption.

Carrots, when cooked, provide about 14 percent more carotenoids, an antioxidants.

White mushrooms, when cooked, have about double the amount of important nutrients like potassium, niacin, zinc and magnesium.

Asparagus, boiled until it turns bright green, has much more cancer-fighting antioxidants and phenolic acid.

Tomatoes, when cooked, have about 35 percent more of a disease-fighting antioxidant called lycopene and a deeper, more intense flavor experience.

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Artwork: Cooking Vegetables by Sher Sester
Source: Consumer Reports