In defense of microwaved broccoli

by Nick Vagnoni, Posted Mar 1st 2006 @ 6:24PM

In today's Washington Post, a column by Robert L. Wolke, author of What Einstein Told His Cook, aims to debunk claims that microwave cooking saps vegetables of many of their nutrients. According to Wolke, much of the clamor stems from media interpretations of a Spanish study on how different cooking methods affect nutrients in vegetables. The culprit, he says, was not microwaving, but cooking vegetables in water. Much of the focus was on the reported loss of flavonoids, which are water soluble. Since the broccoli was microwaved in water and then compared to broccoli that had been steamed above boiling water, the loss of flavonoids was obviously greater. Wolke contends that microwaving veggies with no water is one of the best ways to cook them and still retain their nutrients.

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Filed Under: Science, Trends, Newspapers, Ingredients, Methods
Tags: broccoli, microwave, Broccoli,Microwave, flavonoids, microwaving, nutrients, robert wolke, spain, study, vegetables

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-01-2006 @7:24PM Bruce Dearborn Walker said... I cut my vegetables it small pieces and nuke em on a paper plate until they are just a bit softer than crunchy. They keep their color and I can't imagine that they lose many vitamins.

My understanding, though, is that these days very few fruits and vegetables actually have all the nutrients that were present forty years ago when the original measurements were taken.

After they've been nuked, they are usually oiled (sesame or olive), or (seldom) further sauteed, or added to meat or chilis as part of a dish. My nukulator is part of my balanced, healthy diet.
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3-02-2006 @3:02AM McAuliflower said... a little bit beyond nutrients are effected...

from Craig Sams "The Little Food Book":

"Microwaving changes the structure of food and produces radiolytic by-products, new molecules that don�t occur in nature. Concern about such changes has led to research and a report in the Lancet in 1989 referred to the conversion of trans amino acids into non-nutritious forms in baby formula. One amino acid, L-proline, was converted into a form that harms the nervous system and kidneys.

A Swiss clinical study found that people who had eaten microwaved food showed a decrease in the blood level of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the cells. White blood cell counts also decreased, reducing immune function. When this research was published in 1993 the Swiss electrical products dealers obtained a gagging order on the scientists who did the research. The scientists appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in 1998 and the gag was lifted. "
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11-15-2006 @8:46AM Alex said... My understanding, though, is that these days very few fruits and vegetables actually have all the nutrients that were present forty years ago when the original measurements were taken. Absolutely.

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