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1. | Buy
only the freshest fruits and vegetables available in the market. Seasonal fruits
are the most nutritious as they ripen without the usage of additional chemicals
and are more reasonably priced. |
2. | Refrigerating food for long period results in the loss of vital nutrients. So buy in small quantities and cook for the day! |
3. | As far as possible, eat vegetables and fruits unpeeled so that your body receives the right amount of fibre and nutrients. Vegetables and fruits like cucumber,
potatoes and carrots have vital nutrients right under the peel which we lose out
on if we peel them. Remember to scrub these vegetables thoroughly before you eat
them as they may contain a thin film of mud and pesticides. However, in case of
tough skinned vegetables like turnips or yam (suran) whose skins are inedible,
scrub them thoroughly and then gently scrape a thin layer off using a knife or
a peeler | | 4. | Soaking
vegetables in water for a longer period of time will make them lose many valuable,
water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B and vitamin C. |
| 5. | Vegetables
should be cooked carefully so that they retain most of their nutrients during
the cooking process. Therefore, it is better to sauté or steam vegetables
rather than to boil them. If you do boil the vegetables, use the minimum quantity
of water and cook only until the vegetables become tender. Whenever possible,
cook food in large pieces as vegetables cut into small pieces lose more nutrients.
Preferably, cover your foods while cooking to preserve the volatile nutrients. |
| 6. | Preparing a fresh salad or raita just before meals is the best habit to adopt. Squeezing
lemon on salads is great as it contains vitamin C, which helps in the absorption
of iron. Eat salads like Energy Salad and Tossed Salad, since they will surely
refresh you. |
| 7. | Do
include a large amount of sprouts in your diet as sprouting aids in easy digestion.
Sprouting destroys the anti nutritional factors like phytates that are present
in legumes. They are called anti nutritional factors as they hamper the absorption
of vital nutrients like iron and calcium from the food. These complex substances
(phytates) are broken down to simpler forms when you sprout them, making them
more easier to digest. Sprouted legumes have higher vitamin C, iron and calcium
levels than those that are not sprouted. Sprouted Bengal gram (chana) and sprouted
green gram (moong) are excellent sources of vitamin C. So, here's to happy sprouting!!
Try Sprout and Fruit Bhel or Sprout Pulao |
| 8. | Avoid
using soda bi-carbonate while cooking as it destroys most of the essential nutrients
present in the food.
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