Purchasing and Preparation
There are many myths about vegetable and fruit preparation which raise questions for patients. Fresh or frozen? Steamed, cooked, or raw?
When it comes to buying vegetables and fruits, there is no clear benefit of fresh compared to those found in the freezer section. However, beware that frozen foods may have been subjected to more processing. Therefore it is advisable that if one chooses to buy frozen foods, select products without added sugars, added sodium, sauces, or which have been otherwise tampered with.
Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple with regards to preparing fruits and vegetables because there are differences in the way nutrients in each specific food are best consumed. For example, the lycopene in tomatoes is more readily available for bodily benefit when cooked, while the beta carotene in carrots is used by the body more easily when consumed raw. Generally, vegetables retain water soluble vitamins when steamed, but not when boiled for long periods of time. Additionally, fiber content decreases the longer the vegetable is cooked.