Vegetables are a priceless source of vitamins and minerals and if we’re careful with how we cook them, we can be sure to reap all their benefits. Yes, how we cook them affects the nutritional properties that we actually get when we eat vegetables.

The best ways do not use high temperatures, so steaming and pressure-cooking are excellent. They ensure that any thermolabile vitamins, i.e. those that degrade with heat, are preserved. Another good way is the microwave, due to its relatively quick cooking time.

The worst way of cooking vegetables is… frying! But that’s hardly surprising. The high temperatures and cooking oil do not help keep all the nutrients that we want to give our body. Another method to use sparingly is boiling, given that we will lose any water-soluble vitamins, i.e. those that are dispersed in water.

The same applies to potatoes. A delicious portion of fries gets everyone’s mouth watering - and it’s best just to enjoy them from time to time - however, there are cooking methods, like steaming, that allow us to get many important nutrients for our health. So with a few tricks, we can reap all the benefits that food has to offer.

If you want a light yet nutrient-rich side dish, try steaming our èVita La Novella Siciliana potatoes to get your fill of potassium, magnesium and vitamins C and B6!