More often than usual, many people leave their food on the stove till nothing nutritive is left behind, and you’re simply filling your tummy. So how do you retain the good stuff in your beets if you don’t want to eat them raw? I suggest you read until the end of this article!
I learned a few years back that my methods of food preparation weren’t the best. I loved fried food so much I could near fry every edible thing I came across. However, while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying fried foods, you’ll be surprised at the number of nutrients you miss in the process.
Before preserving your beets in the kitchen, keeping your nutrients intact starts at the marketplace or the store. When choosing your beets, check their leaves (if they have them). If they are green, fresh and moist, you are in luck. Stay away from beets with yellowed leaves.
If the beets don’t have their leaves, look out for a smooth and an undamaged surface. They should feel like small, firm balls in your hands. Once you have some good beets at home, now you can get on with a proper cooking method of your choice.
Here are a few things I learned on my journey towards making the most out of my meals:
- Using fewer amounts of water when boiling or poaching your food will help retain the nutrients (especially vitamin B and C). Even when finished, don’t pour the liquid down the drain, drink it!
- Most of us rush to peel our vegetables when preparing a meal. If you have to peel them, do it after cooking, but if you want to maximize on your fiber and nutrient intake, don’t peel them. Just give them a good scrub before cooking them.
- For beets and any other vegetables, try and eat them all by the end of the day, or at least two days. More exposure to the air means less vitamin C for you.
- When you can, save the cutting of your food up till after you the cooking. This will spare the insides from exposure to heat and water. Think of it as a cocooning your nutrients for the moment you eat them.
- Try and cook your veggies for as fewer minutes as possible. More heat than necessary will destroy most nutrients.
- Few people use baking soda to maintain the color in their vegetables. Unfortunately, the alkaline properties in the baking soda will destroy any vitamin C in your veggies.
So what the best ways to cook your beets?
Steaming and Pressure-cooking
Steaming is a little unpopular for most people because, honestly, steamed foods taste bland. However, it is one of the best methods to preserve nutrients.
Microwaving
A speedy method to cook your beets will help maintain their minerals and vitamins. Microwave your beets for 10 minutes – whole or cut.
Grilling
Maybe there is one way you can make your beets tasty without losing too much. Wrap your whole beet in foil along with some herbs and spices, and grill away! Just not for too long.
Conclusion
Going the nutritive way doesn’t have to be bland and uninteresting. Come up with fun ways to add some flavor, throw in some seasoning. The options are endless.
