Slow Cooking and Vitamin Loss

After a discussion about slow cooking and the topic of vitamin loss form overcooking I thought I'd post about it.

I don't always make the whole meal in there. I make the entree in there and serve steamed veg, etc on the side, etc.

Boiling the veggies and draining that water down the sink causes lots of nutrients to be lost, but if you are making a soup or stew doing the same method you are getting those minerals/vitamins with every bite! Steaming is a better option than boiling and stir-frying with non-stick cooking spray or a little olive oil.

Some vegetables actually need to be cooked slightly for you to get the most benefit from them-like tomatoes. The lycopene in them that is so beneficial isn't absorbed much unless the tomato has been heated slightly. Some veggies are harder to digest when raw-like broccoli. If you are sensitive to gas/bloat, you may want to cook it.

When I slow cook, I generally add stuff as I go, if I am home. And some things like carrots, even fresh green beans take a long time to cook in the slow cooker, so they don't get mushy.