Everyone loves roasted greens, proper? However does roasting veggies, from air fryer roasted greens to sheet pan roasted greens, destroy their dietary worth? Study all about this scorching subject right here.

Scrumptious, golden brown, roasted veggies are as scorching as ever! The artwork of roasting recent veggies, resembling asparagus, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, on a pan over excessive warmth with a contact of olive oil and seasonings makes them style merely divine. Whether or not it’s sheet pan roasted greens, air fryer roasted greens, and even roasting frozen greens, the result’s pure genius. The carbohydrates within the veggies caramelize, mellowing out robust flavors into golden, toasty perfection—all with a pleasant nice crunch. What’s to not like? Specifically, roasted root greens, resembling parsnips, carrots, candy potatoes, and turnips end in a tremendous textures and flavors. You possibly can serve roasted veggies as a side-dish, and in salads, kebabs, grain bowls, pasta, sandwiches, wraps, pita, and the record goes on. A few of my favourite roasted veggie recipes embody the next:

However does roasting greens destroy vitamins? At this time, I’m answering your prime questions on whether or not roasting veggies ruins vitamins.

Query: I really like roasted greens, however does roasting them at excessive warmth destroy their vitamins?

Reply:   

No, you don’t must forgo roasted veggies due to excessive warmth. The very fact is that all types of cooking can destroy some of the vitamins (resembling vitamin C and B nutritional vitamins) in greens. However the flip facet is that some vitamins truly develop into extra bioavailable when greens are cooked, since cooking helps launch the vitamins from the cell partitions of the plant. These embody vitamins within the carotenoid household, resembling lycopene (present in tomatoes and pink peppers) and beta-carotene (in carrots, spinach and kale). Mushrooms, asparagus and cabbage provide extra antioxidant compounds when cooked in contrast with uncooked. And antioxidant compounds in meals we eat could assist shield towards most cancers and different ailments.

One caveat: Charring may cause the formation of acrylamides (potential cancer-causing chemical compounds), notably in starchy meals resembling potatoes. As a substitute, roast your starchy veggies to a golden brown. In the meantime, some vitamins, resembling vitamin B-6 and folate in broccoli and the polyphenols (micronutrients that assist shield towards most cancers and heart problems) in onions are higher preserved in uncooked fruit and veggies. So, it’s good to take pleasure in a weight loss program that has some uncooked and a few cooked meals to realize the advantages of every. If you happen to like roasted greens, proceed to take pleasure in them. Steaming, microwaving and boiling greens are additionally wonderful strategies, however decrease the water you utilize and size of time you cook dinner them to protect vitamins. Attempt to keep away from frying them to maintain calorie ranges in test and cut back general nutrient loss.

Listed here are extra roasted veggie recipes to take pleasure in:

Roasted Kohlrabi with Pumpkin Seeds
Maple and Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes
Roasted Chicory with Pistachios and Pomegranates
Sheet Pan Roasted Greens and Beans with Za’atar

One other good approach to take pleasure in veggies is to grill them. Take a look at this step-by-step information for grilling greens right here.

Take a look at the opposite vitamin questions I’m answering at The Plant-Powered Dietitian:

About Ask Sharon:

As a part of my program “Ask Sharon”, I’m answering the highest query of the month submitted by way of my weblog, Fb, Twitter or Instagram to reply right here. You possibly can even win a prize! Don’t overlook to submit your burning vitamin query this month through my weblog, or different social media. 

Primary picture: Roasted Sesame Broccolini from California Vegan, printed in 2021.