How to Cook With Superfoods

So-called superfoods are noted for their high nutritional value and health-protecting qualities. Superfoods are natural sources for vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and not as expensive or exotic as some may think. In fact, many local and commonly grown foods contain just as many health-supporting properties. Salmon, beets, sardines, berries, turkey, tomatoes, pumpkin and Brussels sprouts are all considered superfoods. Incorporating a wide selection of natural foods into meals provides a range of essential nutrients, minerals and proteins. How these foods are stored, cooked and prepared, however, impacts their nutritional value. Take care when preparing superfoods to preserve as many nutrients as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Kitchen utensils

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible. Try to purchase organic foods that have been grown using fewer chemicals and pesticides. Wash all fruits and vegetables carefully before preparing and eating. Smoothies, juices, fruit, chopped vegetable crudites and salads are good ways to incorporate fresh, raw produce into your diet while preserving the foods' nutritional value. Eat these foods soon after preparation to avoid further micronutrient loss by exposure to heat or air.

• 2

  Cook superfoods quickly to preserve their nutritional value. Vitamin C and folate can be lost during cooking. Stir-fry meat, fish and vegetables until just tender to seal in flavors and nutrients. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, vitamin A is absorbed more efficiently from vegetables that are cooked -- but not overcooked -- and eaten with a little fat. Heat a little oil in a wok or skillet and cook ingredients over a high heat. Alternatively, saute foods in a pan or on a griddle. This method is quick and preserves the nutritional value of foods.

• 3

  Add vitamin C to your cooking. Spinach, broccoli and curly kale are green iron-rich superfoods. Sometimes, however, this form of iron may be difficult to digest, and it often passes through the body. Add a squeeze of lemon, lime, grapefruit or orange juice when sauteing or stir-frying these vegetables to change the chemical composition of the iron, making it more easily digested and absorbed.

• 4

  Steam or microwave superfoods to preserve nutrients. Vitamins B and C are leached from vegetables into the water during boiling -- hence the colored hue to the water when drained. Multi-tiered steamers allow you to cook many foods simultaneously. If you do not have a steamer, try cooking your vegetables in as little water as possible until just tender. This water can then be used for gravies, soups or stocks.

• 5

  Bake your superfoods. Roasting or baking meat, fish and vegetables is another way of cooking while preserving nutritional value. Leaving the skin on vegetables such as potatoes, eggplant, carrots and pumpkin when baking also will help preserve nutrients.