How should I store and cook my food for optimal nutrients?

The way we store and cook our food makes a big difference for nutritional density. The more nutrient-dense the food, the better it is for our digestion, metabolism, and waistline. Following these tips will get you more bang for your nutrition buck. 

 

Proteins:

Meat 

When protein is cooked with sugar, a chemical reaction occurs called the maillard reaction. The end result of this reaction is advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which when accumulated, are harmful to the body. How can you prevent these chemicals from forming?

• Don’t cook meat with sugar-y marinades (like BBQ sauce)
• Instead, choose a dry-rub

 

Over-cooking and/or burning your meat is harmful as well because high heat and longer cooking times will allow the meat to form harmful chemicals like heterocyclic amines (HCS). This is why you may have heard that grilling isn’t the healthiest form of cooking. There are things you can do to prevent these chemicals from forming in high amounts.

• Don’t burn your meat. If you are grilling, choose a medium flame over a high flame.
• If grilling, do not press the meat down. If fat drips onto the flame, it will form smoke and the flame will get bigger, which is a perfect recipe for creating these harmful chemicals.
• Don’t overcook. Reach the safe internal cooking temperature of meat without cooking it for much longer after that. Internal cooking temperatures:
  • Chicken/turkey (parts or ground): 165 F
  • Ground beef/pork/veal/lamb: 160 F
  • Fresh beef, veal, lamb, pork: 145 F, rest time: 3 min
  • Fish: 145 F or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
• Prevent formation of HCA by using spice rubs that include herbs such as rosemary, basil, thyme, sage, or oregano. These herbs contain oils that prevent the formation of HCAs during cooking.

 

Legumes 

Legumes (beans, lentils) are extremely healthy, but for some people, they cause bloating. Additionally, it can be difficult for your digestive system to reach the nutrients inside the bean due to the plant’s own defense mechanisms. What can you do to decrease bloating and optimize the amount of nutrients you absorb from legumes?

• Soak for 8 hours or overnight to help reduce the bloat-causing compounds
• Sprout or buy sprouted – sprouting activates some of the beneficial enzymes and makes it easier for our body to access the protein and nutrients inside. 
• Use Kombu seaweed to decrease bloating – kombu contains enzymes that break down the bloat causing compound raffinose.
• Bonus tip: Smaller legumes (such as lentils) are easier to digest and may result in less bloating

 

Healthy Fats:

Fats are essential to a healthy diet. In order for them to remain healthy, we need to prevent fat oxidation. Oxidation occurs in environments of high heat and light. Fats that are saturated (think coconut oil and ghee) are not as readily oxidized than fats that are unsaturated (think olive oil). Consuming fats that have been oxidized can actually do more harm than good because they can create free radicals that can damage our cells and cause inflammation. How can we make sure we’re using different types of fats properly?

• Store oils in a cool, dark, place: do not keep your oil on the counter next to the stove, even though it’s most convenient.
• Always screw the lid on tightly. 
• Don’t use past smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil starts to release puffs of smoke. 
  • Highest smoke point: avocado oil (450 F), ghee (485 F)
  • Lowest smoke point: Olive oil (375 F), butter (350 F), coconut oil (350 F)
  • So if you cook on low heat, can use olive oil, but with high heat cooking opts for avocado oil or ghee. 

 

Fibers:

Fibers – Seeds (chia/flax/hemp)

Fibers from seeds help fuel the gut microbiome. There are a few things to keep in mind when incorporating them into your daily life.

• Don’t eat whole flaxseed because your digestive system does not have the ability to break them down
• Either grind the flaxseeds yourself or buy ground flaxseed (also known as flaxseed meal)
• Store ground seeds in the refrigerator to prevent oxidation of fats (discussed above)
• Soak chia seeds before consuming to prevent any intestinal blockages
• When consuming fiber powders, start with ½ teaspoon and work your way up 
  • Fiber powders: acacia, psyllium husk, green banana powder, potato starch

 

Phytos – fruits & vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and smaller amounts of beneficial fiber. These should be included as a majority of your diet! There are some things you can do to make sure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck in terms of nutrients.

• Microwaving broccoli (fresh or frozen) as opposed to boiling/steaming can retain B vitamins and vitamin C. To microwave fresh broccoli, just adds a few teaspoons of water and it will steam in the microwave. 
• Vegetables and fruits with higher cellular respiration rates (i.e the use of nutrients for their own survival) tend to lose their nutrients just by sitting in the fridge. In this case, it may be better to buy some produce frozen.
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Berries
  • Peas 

• Overall, the best way to receive an abundance of nutrients is VARIETY. So don’t stress out over overeating raw vs cooked – a mix of different vegetables, cooking methods, and raw vs cooked will benefit you the most. 
• Garlic – the powerful anti-inflammatory molecule in garlic is called Allicin. It is most potent when we chop garlic and wait 10-15 mins before consuming it.
• Chose shallots instead of onions for more nutrient density 
• Sulforaphane is a powerful chemical made from precursor compounds found in cruciferous vegetables and it is known for its anti-cancer properties and DNA protection. There are multiple ways to maximize the amount of sulforaphane you get. You can eat them raw and the act of chewing will allow the compounds to form sulforaphane. If cooked right away, the two compounds will not combine and cannot form sulforaphane. You can either chop the veggies first and let them sit for about 15 minutes before cooking to allow this reaction to form the sulforaphane, or you can cook the veggies and add mustard seed powder or a dollop of mustard on top. (both of which contain the enzyme that converts sulforaphane) Some foods that contain these anti-cancer molecules:
  • Broccoli sprouts
  • Broccoli 
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Bok choy
  • Kale
  • Collard greens
  • Arugula
  • kohlrabi
  • Mustard
  • Turnip
  • Cabbage
  • Radish 

 

Starches

Starchy foods like potatoes and rice provide energy and nutrients. To increase the prebiotic potential of these starches and lower the blood sugar spike they come with, try eating them after they’re cooked and cooled. Cooling the starch results in formation of resistant starch – which is fuel for the bacteria in your gut.