Is that true that vegetables as well as eggs lose their vitamins

while cooking or frying?[edit]

I was told that vegetables as well as eggs lose their vitamins while cooking or frying. The one
who told me it explained me that the cooking or frying causes to the denaturation which cancel
the vitamins. Is that true or just speculation? 93.126.95.68 (talk) 03:10, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
I believe it depends on the specific food, and the cooking temperature and duration
involved, and which nutrient we are talking about. Some are indeed reduced by cooking,
while others may be enhanced or made more readily available. And of course, some foods
are dangerous to eat uncooked. Raw eggs, for example, may contain salmonella. StuRat
(talk) 03:22, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
Thank you. I'm not talking about something specific, but generally about foods.
Regarding to the eggs, sometimes there is no option to cook it before eating (for example
if we make frosting which made of uncooked eggs white) 93.126.95.68 (talk) 03:30, 21
March 2016 (UTC)
Well, the statement as given is pretty much false, in that denaturation relates specifically
to proteins, not vitamins. Any degradation of vitamins by heat is due to some process
other than denaturation. - Nunh-huh 05:12, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
I believe denature also has a broader meaning, meaning simply "to change the nature of",
as in denatured alcohol. Perhaps they are using that meaning. StuRat (talk) 06:11, 21
March 2016 (UTC)
Anyway, here's some references:

Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli

("The results show that all cooking treatments, except steaming, caused
significant losses of chlorophyll and vitamin C and significant decreases of total
soluble proteins and soluble sugars.").

The effects of cooking on nutrition ("Heating affects mostly the vitamin and fat
content of foods... On the other hand, cooking processes that involve heating also
make certain nutrients more available for the body to use. For example, the
amount of total carotenoids content in carrots and other vegetable-based dishes is
higher in boiled versions.").

Effects of different cooking methods on the vitamin C content of selected

vegetables ("This study shows that any raw vegetable contains the highest content
of vitamin C compared to that of cooked one. Eating raw vegetables is the best
way to obtain vitamin C. Cooking methods (i.e. steaming, microwaving, and
boiling) have huge impacts on the vitamin C content of vegetables. Steaming is
the best cooking method for retaining the vitamin C content in vegetables.").

European Food Information Council - The Why, How and Consequences of

cooking our food ("Part 2.4: ...The differences in vitamin solubility mean that the

method by which foods are cooked has a substantial influence on the final vitamin
content. Due to their tendency to disperse in water, water-soluble vitamins in
particular are heavily affected by cooking processes that involve immersing food
in water for long periods of time e.g., boiling. In contrast, fat-soluble vitamins
tend to be lost during cooking processes where foods are cooked in fat e.g.,
frying, or when fat is lost from the product e.g., grilling.").
So the answer seems to be yes, although this varies according to the cooking technique
and the type of vitamin content. Alansplodge (talk) 11:14, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
However, in the case of boiling, since the vitamins leach into the water, the cure is to
drink the water, as in soup. StuRat (talk) 16:58, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
You wouldn't have said this if you'd read the sources: "As well as the cooking medium,
the length of heating can also affect the vitamin content of foods. Both fat-soluble and
water-soluble vitamins are susceptible to heat, with the latter being particularly
sensitive.""--TMCk (talk) 18:03, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
I already mentioned that in the first reply. My point is that for foods that really do need to
be cooked, for food safety reasons, or to make them palatable, boiling is a much better
choice, so long as you then drink the water. Steaming is also good, but frying is bad all
the way around. As far as the reduction in nutrition from the heat, eating more can
compensate for that. Since veggies have few calories, you can eat quite a few. StuRat
(talk) 18:32, 21 March 2016 (UTC)
And e coli. Cook your vegetables as you would cook your beef because the same animals
fertilize both. Cooking and 8 billion people are not coincidence. --DHeyward (talk) 09:03, 23
March 2016 (UTC)
With eggs you actually lose vitamins by not cooking - see egg white injury. With other
vegetables I'd need to see a specific analysis - breaking down the tissue might release
some components to be absorbed, and might allow others to become soluble in cooking
water that is disposed of, and might even damage some chemically (though I'm not sure
what) ... it really needs an empirical test for a specific substance. Wnt (talk) 11:20, 23
March 2016 (UTC)