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There is no doubt that nature never intended us to use cooked foods at all. Raw foods are healthier because they contain living cells which are fully or

How to Live Younger, Healthier and Happier

However, since many vegetables are repulsive when eaten raw, they have to be cooked. In needs of creating a balance between raw and overcooked vegetables the following tips will guide you to enjoy a desirable variety of foods and yet be able to eat healthier. 

1. Eat raw vegetables. Try to eat your vegetables as close to their natural state as possible.

2. If you must cook your vegetables try not to overcook them. Most people tend to overcook their vegetables, yet the nutritional value of vegetables, which is created in the growing process, is easily destroyed in the cooking process. All vegetables should be cooked far less than is the habit in most homes today.

3. Do not peel your vegetables. Most people have the habit of peeling their vegetables before cooking them, but they should not be peeled. Potatoes in particular should never be peeled for the most valuable elements lie directly under or in the skin.

4. Use the vegetables immediately after cutting or shedding them so they retain the most amount of Vitamin C. The Vitamin C content of vegetables is lost at an extremely fast rate once the vegetables fibers have been cut or bruised. You can also cut them into larger pieces if you are not eating them right away, this will retain more of the vitamin.

5. Very often the water in which the vegetables are cooked is more valuable to your health than the vegetables themselves. So remember, don’t throw away the water used to cook the vegetables, drink it or save it for next day’s soup. Such water is rich in the vitamins extracted from the vegetables during the cooking process.

6. The worst method of cooking vegetables is to fry them. Frying vegetables is very harmful to your health as they absorb huge amounts of fats, become difficult to digest and leave a great deal of dead matter in your blood after having been assimilated.

7. The best way of cooking vegetables is steaming them with as little water as possible and for the shortest time possible.

8. In order to retain the most nutritional value when cooking your vegetables there are three things you should know about the cooking of each vegetable:

     (1) How long should it be cooked?,

     (2) How much water should be used for cooking each vegetable? and

     (3) Should the pot be closed or open during the steaming? The following table will guide you in building a diet that will remain rich in vitamins and minerals.

VEGETABLE COOKING CHART