You Ate it, But Did the Nutrients Get Absorbed?
When it comes to absorbing nutrients, it makes a difference how you prepare a food (cooked or raw) and what foods you eat with it. The science of understanding nutrient absorption is an area called “bioavailability.”
BBC NEWS online has an interesting, easy to read article, titled "Getting the Best Out of Your Food," that will help you understand the best ways to eat certain foods to maximize their nutritional value to you. Here are a few hints from the article.
Eat your spinach with a glass of orange juice.
We all know spinach is a good source of iron. It is an important source if you are a vegetarian. But did you know that the iron in spinach is in a form that is not readily absorbed? By drinking orange juice along with your spinach, you change the iron in spinach from an oxidized state to a more readily absorbed non-oxidized state.
You absorb more beta-carotene, an antioxidant, from cooked carrots than raw carrots. Cooking breaks down the carrot’s cell walls, allowing easier absorption of this important nutrient.
Canned tomatoes or cooked tomatoes are better than raw tomatoes when it comes to lycopene. Lycopene is another antioxidant. It is thought to halt cell damage. It is turned into a more readily absorbed form when tomatoes are cooked or canned.
Iron fortified cereals may not be the best way to get your daily dose of iron. Whole grain cereals contain phytates which inhibit the absorption of iron. Calcium in milk also inhibits iron absorption. And that cup of coffee you drink with your cereal…well, it contains phenols that inhibit iron absorption as well.
So it all gets pretty complicated. As scientists continue to study how nutrients are absorbed and how foods interact with each other, we are likely to get even more confused. For now, it is probably best to follow a diet that is varied in nutrient sources and varied in the ways the food is prepared. If you eat a diet that is rich in fruits and veggies and includes good sources of protein and fiber, you can feel confidant that you have optimized your chances of getting all the vitamins and minerals you need.