How does the WAIS Men’s Waterpolo program upgrade a team recovery breakfast?
By adding BBQ veggies!
Starting vegetable intake at breakfast is gold standard when it comes to meeting your fibre and nutrient needs for optimal health, recovery and performance. Research shows that getting enough veggies in your diet is more important than whether they’re raw or cooked.
The Low Down on Cooked Food
Exposing food to heat, oxygen or light can affect the nutrient composition.
Cooking does cause the loss of some nutrients as a result of the chemical changes that occur.
Cooking food also has its advantages, such as;
- Increasing the digestibility of some foods,
- Increasing the availability of certain phytonutrients; and
- Killing some of the bugs that can cause food poisoning.
Cooked vs Raw Veggies
WAIS dietitian, Emily Eaton suggest a focus on the total amount of veggies consumed daily. If a combination of raw and cooked helps to increase your daily intake and variety, that is the priority.
A recent review found that eaters of both cooked and raw vegetables had a lower risk of cancer compared to those who did not eat many vegetables in the first place.
What About the Plant Enzymes?
Yes, cooking does destroy the enzymes found in plants however so does digestion in our gut!
The enzymes in plants are only essential to the plants, not to us! We have our own supply of clever enzymes.
How Cooking Affects Vitamins and Minerals
Most minerals are unaffected by cooking (eg. iron, calcium and potassium).
Off all the vitamins it is only vitamin C, thiamin (B1) and folate that are lost through cooking however it is generally by much less than 50%. Luckily for us these nutrients are also found in foods that are usually enjoyed raw, such as;
- Vitamin C – Citrus Fruits
- Folate – Avocado and Leafy Greens
- Thiamin – Bread, Nuts and Vegemite
From all of this information the key piece of information to take away is the need to maximise your vegetable consumption, whether that be cooked or raw veggies.
WAIS athletes, if you are concerned or unsure as to whether you are eating enough veggies or how you can get more veggies in to your diet be sure to make a time to talk to your WAIS dietitian.
