• Food can loose its nutritive value in the process of cooking. Correct method of

  preparation and storage must be used to preserve nutrients.

How these losses occur

Vitamin A:

• It gets oxidized when it reacts with oxygen present in the air and gets destroyed.

• Cooking at high temperature in an open pan results in food coming in contact with

  Oxygen for a long period of time and this brings about a reduction in vitamin A content.

• Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. It gets dissolved in fat when foods like spinach or fenugreek (methi) are deep fried.

• Temperature as high as 300 degree c is reached during deep frying which destroys vitamin A rapidly.

• While preparing carrot potato vegetable,cook in a covered pan in order to prevent the loss of vitamin A.

Vitamin B complex :

• It is a grow of eight water soluble vitamins. They are generally found together in

  most food and share certain properties in common. Vitamin B gets dissolved in

  water when these foods are washed,soaked or cooked in water. If this water is discarded results in the loss of vitamin B.

• Another reason for the loss of vitamin B complex from our food is the addition of cooking soda to the food during the process of cooking. Therefore use of soda while cooking food should be avoided.

• Milk is a good source of riboflavin also called vitamin B. It get destroyed when milk is exposed to sun light (due to ultraviolet rays).

• In order to preserve vitamin B food exposure to sun light should be avoided.

Vitamin C:

• It is another water soluble vitamin,which is easily destroyed by heat and oxidation.

• When you cut vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin c and leave it exposed to air for a long time before cooking or eating it some of the vitamin is lost .

• Vitamin C is also lost when you wash vegetables and fruits after cutting or if you cut them too fine.