What compound's bioavailability is boosted by three to four times when orange bell peppers are cooked?
Answer
Lycopene
While eating raw peppers preserves Vitamin C, cooking triggers a different set of nutritional advantages related to fat-soluble compounds. Specifically, the absorption of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, can be significantly increased when the peppers are subjected to heat, with absorption rates boosted by three to four times. Lycopene supports heart health by aiding in the reduction of cholesterol oxidation. This highlights a trade-off where cooking shifts the nutritional benefit from maximizing water-soluble vitamins (like Vitamin C) toward optimizing the uptake of fat-soluble antioxidants.

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