GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's Easter weekend and in the South, it means we're going to make vegetables as unhealthy as we can!
Case in point, the sweet potato. It's packed with vitamins B and C, calcium, iron, and magnesium. For Easter, we mix it with white and brown sugar, and heavy cream and top it with marshmallows to make a sweet potato casserole.
But isn't eating veggies, no matter how they're prepared, better than not eating them? I asked a dietician.
BOILING VEGETABLES
Boiling is one of the least healthy options because there's a lot of leaching into the water. You literally throw it away. Also, when you boil vegetables you'll probably overcook them. Vegetables should be al dente, like pasta, vegetables should feel good to the teeth, said Preeti Kshirsagar, Dietician.
FRYING VEGETABLES
What about fried vegetables, like fried cauliflower "wings" or a fried cauliflower sandwich? Am I fooling myself into thinking it's just as good as this roasted cauliflower?
"Eating vegetables that are more steamed or roasted is better than frying them. The higher temperature that you expose the vegetable to there is more loss of vitamins. But it's a comparison, right? What are you going to eat instead of the fried cauliflower? Are you going to eat a highly processed snack," said Kshirsagar.
The answer, it's better to eat fried cauliflower than no cauliflower.
RAW VS COOKED VEGETABLES
When it comes to veggies, eating them raw gives you the highest amount of vitamins, But raw veggies and salads are more difficult for our bodies to digest and process.
Our dietician says your body has a better chance of absorbing those vitamins if the vegetable is cooked, so balance your salads out with roasted or steamed veggies.