National Nutrition Week 2023: Cooking Techniques That Preserve Nutrients

Methods that artfully balance heat and time, from the controlled sizzle of stir-frying and steaming to the meticulous craft of braising, can unlock the ability to preserve nutrients in every dish.

All about different cooking techniques (Representational Image)

Source : Getty

Cooking is not just about creating exquisite flavours; it's also about being a custodian of nutrients. Along with preparaing lip-smacking dishes, we must also focus on the preservation of food's essential nutrients. By embracing methods that artfully balance heat and time, from the controlled sizzle of stir-frying and steaming to the meticulous craft of braising, we can unlock the ability to preserve nutrients in every dish.

In this regard, ABP Live sought the opinion of chefs who explained cooking techniques which can help to preserve nutrients in food.

Vidisha Bathwal who is the Chef and Founder at Paprika Gourmet said, "Once food is cooked, it helps to improve digestion, for instance protein in cooked eggs is far higher than in raw ones."

She further went on to say that a lot of nutrients are lost while cooking, some involving :  

• Water soluble : Vitamin B, Vitamin C
• Fat soluble  Vitamins : Vitamin A,D, E
• Minerals : potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium 

Different Forms Of Cooking Techniques And The Nutrients Lost In Some Of Them:

The different forms of cooking technique are– boiling , simmering , poaching ,grilling broiling, microwaving, roasting, baking, sautéing, stir-frying, frying and steaming.

Boiling, simmering and poaching are water based methods of cooking.

Talking about these techniques, she said that they differ by water temperature-

• Poaching : less than 180 degree F
• Simmering :180-190 degree F
• Boiling : 212 degree F

Chef Vidisha Bathwal then went on to list the nutrient that are lost in different cooking techniques:

• Vegetables are great source of vitamin C , however a great amount of nutrients is lost when they are cooked in water.
• Grilling and broiling are methods of cooking food with dry heat. Vitamin B is lost when food is grilled or broiled, when nutrient rich juice drips from the meat.
• Microwaving is an easy, safe method of cooking, but a lot of vitamin C is lost when food is microwaved. 
• Roasting and baking is referred to food cooked in an oven with dry heat, which results in a decline in vitamin B.
• Frying usually involves cooking food in large amount of fat, which is oil at a high temperature. There is a lot is side effects associated with fried food. 

Cooking Techniques That Help To Preserve Nutrients:

Arabinda Seth, who is an Executive Chef of Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata listed down a few important cooking technique which one can incorporate to preserve nutrients:

• Stir-frying is considered an excellent cooking method for preserving nutrients in food. The quick cooking time and high heat helps to maintain the nutritional value of the ingredients.
• Steaming is a gentle cooking technique that involves cooking food by exposing it to steam. This method is used for preserving nutrients due to its gentle and indirect heat. 
• Molecular gastronomy can leverage scientific principles to create cooking methods that are more gentle and precise, potentially helping to retain nutrients in innovative ways. 

Soham Dhar, who is a Sous Chef at The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat also added some more to the list:

• Sous-vide cooking, involves vacuum-sealing food and cooking it in a water bath at precise temperatures. This method allows for controlled cooking and minimal nutrient loss, making it suitable for various types of food.
• Slow cooking involves cooking food over low heat for extended periods, which can help break down tough fibers while retaining nutrients in the cooking liquid.
• Gentle sautéing is a cooking technique that involves cooking food in a pan with a small amount of oil or butter over medium to medium-low heat. It's a variation of traditional sautéing but with a focus on using lower heat to prevent excessive browning and to preserve the texture and nutrients of the ingredients.

How To Maximise Nutrient Retention:

Chef Vidisha Bathwal suggested ways in which we can maximize nutrients retention:

• Use as less water as possible when poaching or boiling
• Cook vegetables for a few minutes 
• When cooking meat and fish , try to use shortest cooking time 
• Cook vegetables in small amounts of water to retain the vitamins and nutrients 
• The essential juices of meat which is dripped out – one should add it back