Which cooking method causes water-soluble compounds like Vitamin C to leach out into discarded cooking water?
Answer
Excessive Boiling
The preparation method significantly impacts the final nutrient yield on the plate. Vitamin C, along with other beneficial compounds, is known to be water-soluble. This means that if a squash is subjected to excessive boiling, these water-soluble vitamins dissolve out of the vegetable flesh and into the cooking water. Since this cooking water is typically discarded, the concentration of these specific nutrients available for consumption is drastically reduced. For nutrient retention, roasting or baking is generally considered the superior method.

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