We all strive to eat healthily, but are we getting the most out of our superfoods? Sometimes, the way we prepare and consume our food is just as important as the food itself. Small tweaks can unlock more nutrients, improve digestion, and help your body absorb vitamins and minerals more effectively.
Here’s a list of common foods and the simple fixes to stop eating them wrong.
1. Fruits & Vegetables
Tomatoes:Cook them. Heat breaks down cell walls, making the powerful antioxidant lycopene more available for your body to absorb.
Broccoli & Bell Peppers:Eat them raw or lightly steamed. Overcooking, especially boiling, can destroy heat-sensitive vitamins like Vitamin C.
Carrots:Cook them. Unlike broccoli, cooking carrots makes their beta-carotene (which becomes Vitamin A) more bioavailable.
Garlic & Onions:Let them rest after chopping. Allowing them to sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking activates a powerful enzyme that boosts their healthy sulfur compounds.
Spinach:Lightly cook it. Steaming or sautéing reduces oxalic acid (oxalates), which can interfere with the absorption of iron and calcium.
Potatoes, Pasta & Rice:Let them cool. Cooling cooked carbs significantly increases resistant starch, which acts like fiber and feeds your good gut bacteria. (It’s fine to reheat them afterward!).
Strawberries:Slice them right before eating. Cutting them hours in advance exposes the delicate Vitamin C to light and air, degrading it.
Apples & Oranges:Eat the peel and pith. The apple skin is rich in fiber, and the white pith of an orange contains as much fiber and flavonoids.
Avocado:Peel it instead of scooping. The darkest, most nutrient-dense part of the flesh is right against the skin; scooping misses it.
Bananas:Eat them when spotted. A ripe banana with brown spots has higher antioxidant levels and easier-to-digest sugars.
2. Seeds, Nuts & Grains
Chia Seeds:Always soak them. Eating them dry can be a choking hazard and soaking improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
Flaxseeds:Use ground, not whole. Your body cannot break down the tough outer shell of whole flaxseeds, so they pass through undigested. Ground flax delivers all the omega-3s and fiber.
Nuts & Legumes:Soak or sprout them. This reduces natural compounds like phytates, which can block the absorption of minerals like iron and zinc, making them easier to digest.
Oats:Choose steel-cut or old-fashioned. “Instant” oats are more processed and can cause a faster spike in blood sugar compared to less processed varieties.
3. Drinks & Supplements
Apple Cider Vinegar:Always dilute it. Drinking it straight can damage tooth enamel and irritate your throat and esophagus.
Green Tea:Drink it between meals. The compounds in green tea can interfere with the absorption of iron and other minerals from your food if consumed with a meal.
Coconut Water:Drink in moderation. While hydrating, it contains natural sugars and can be high in potassium, which isn’t ideal in excessive amounts.
Coffee:Wait a minute. Drinking it immediately after brewing can scald your tongue and mask flavor. Also, avoid it right after a meal as it can inhibit iron absorption.
Honey:Never microwave or add to boiling water. High heat destroys its delicate enzymes, antioxidants, and antibacterial properties.
4. Common Pantry & Prepared Items
Yogurt:Choose plain or Greek. Flavored yogurts are often loaded with added sugar. Add your own fruit for natural sweetness.
Protein Bars:Use as a snack, not a meal replacement. They are often highly processed and lack the full spectrum of nutrients found in a whole-food meal.
Salads:Add a healthy fat. Fat helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) from the vegetables. Add avocado, nuts, or an olive oil-based dressing.
Canned Beans:Rinse them thoroughly. This removes excess sodium and the starchy liquid that can cause digestive discomfort.
Canned Tomatoes:Choose canned for cooking. The canning process makes lycopene more bioavailable than fresh tomatoes for sauces and soups.
Dark Chocolate:Eat it at room temperature. Cold chocolate numbs the palate, preventing you from fully appreciating its complex flavors and antioxidants.
Turmeric:Pair with black pepper and fat. The piperine in black pepper boosts the absorption of curcumin (turmeric’s active compound) by up to 2,000%, and fat helps your body use it.
By making these small adjustments, you can transform your diet from simply healthy to optimally nourishing. Happy eating
