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According to a recent BBC article, research has shown that the anti-cancer properties of carrots are more potent if they are not cut up before cooking. In fact, scientists found that carrots that were cooked before cut carrots contained 25% more of the anti-cancer compound falcarinol than those chopped up first. Falcarinol has been proven to reduce tumor growth.
So, why does it make a difference? Lead researcher on the study, Dr Kirsten Brandt, said: “Chopping up your carrots increases the surface area so more of the nutrients leach out into the water while they are cooked. By keeping them whole and chopping them up afterwards you are locking in nutrients and the taste, so the carrot is better for you all round.” The studies show that when whole carrots are heated, the heat kills the cells, so they lose the ability to hold on to the water inside them, increasing the concentration of falcarinol as the carrots lose water.
There’s a bonus, too – carrots cooked whole also taste much better! In a recent study, eight of ten people liked the whole vegetables over those that were pre-chopped. Researchers concluded that is due to natural sugars, the ones responsible for giving the carrot its distinctively sweet flavor, are also found in higher concentrations in the carrot that had been cooked whole.
So, get to cooking your carrots whole instead of cutting them up first! Your body and your taste buds will thank you.
Via BBC.com
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