What heat-sensitive vitamins are significantly lost when spinach is cooked?
Answer
Vitamin C and folate
The preparation method profoundly affects the final nutrient composition of spinach. While cooking spinach is beneficial for increasing the bioavailability of fat-soluble nutrients like Vitamin A and certain minerals such as calcium, it comes at a cost regarding water-soluble and heat-sensitive vitamins. When spinach is subjected to heat, there is a notable and significant loss of Vitamin C, an important antioxidant, as well as folate (Vitamin B9). This means that consuming spinach raw, such as in smoothies or salads, is the better strategy for maximizing the intake of Vitamin C and folate compared to cooked preparations.
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