生食爱好者声称，生蔬菜比熟蔬菜更好。他们认为，在烹饪过程中，大部分（如果不是全部的话）酶和营养物质都会被破坏。研究表明，虽然某些营养成分确实如此，但并非所有营养成分都是如此。

It is well known that cooking can reduce the amount of some vitamins, such as vitamin C.

Cooking can, in fact, increase the absorption of other nutrients.

While studies have shown that cooking tomatoes for 2 minutes at 88°C resulted in a 10% loss of vitamin C. Cooking for a further 28 minutes reduced the vitamin C content by over a third.

Another study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry showed that cooking tomatoes increased the amount of lycopene absorbed by the body.

What is lycopene?

Lycopene is the antioxidant that gives red fruits & vegetables their colour. It may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer, including prostate, lung and stomach cancer.

This same study showed that compared to eating tomatoes raw, tomatoes cooked for over 30 minutes, increased lycopene absorption by over 30%.

为什么？

This is because heat helps to release lycopene bound to the cell walls of tomatoes, making it easy to absorb.

Yet another study showed that nutrients from vegetables (e.g. carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage & capsicums) when cooked, are easier to absorb.

Vegetables are an essential part of the diet.

Yet, most people do not consume enough.

Studies have shown that people who consume enough vegetables are more likely to have a reduced risk of many chronic diseases.

So, what is the recommended intake?

Consume 2-3 cups of vegetables (both cooked and raw) daily for a healthier body.