4 vegetables that should be cooked

Dietitian Helen Bond reveals which vegetables are best cooked:

TOMATOES 

Lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes their colour, is thought to offer protection against certain types of cancer - especially prostate cancer - and heart disease.

Plus, some small studies show that it may even help to protect the skin from ultraviolet light - though larger studies are needed before recommendations can be made.

Although it is an easy assumption that when it comes to nutritional value, fresh fruit and veg always have the edge over cooked or processed, tinned tomatoes prove this isn’t always the case. 

They are actually a better source of lycopene than fresh tomatoes because the canning process helps to break down some of the touch cell walls, releasing the lycopene, which makes it easier for the body to absorb. 

Like fresh tomatoes, the tinned variety provide useful amounts of beta carotene, vitamin C and just one tinned plum tomato or a quarter of a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes counts as one of your five a day. 

CARROTS 

Studies show that when carrots are cooked, their levels of beta carotene go up. 

Beta carotene is an carotenoid that the body converts to vitamin A. 

It’s essential for the function of many systems in the body, from normal iron metabolism to vision to, skin and immunity.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Love them or hate them, are a classic Christmas classic.

They belong to a group of vegetables called brassicas, which include broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. 

All of these brassicas contain glucosinolates and emerging research shows that these phytochemicals have potential cancer-fighting properties. 

Sprouts are rich in vitamins C, B6 and folic acid.

And just nine sprouts count as a portion and one of your five a day.

There is some evidence of an inverse association between cruciferous vegetable intake and breast or prostate cancer in humans, but much more robust clinical trials need to be undertaken before any recommendations can be made.

Brassicas are particularly nutritious if they are steamed for around five minutes.

CABBAGE

Cabbage is a vegetable that loves to be braised with apples, spices and red wine, or blanched and used as an alternative to a lunchtime wrap.

But be sure not to discard the darkest outer leaves - they are full of vitamin C, but also have the orange pigment beta-carotene and the yellow carotenoid, lutein.

Regular doses of lutein have been linked to a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. 

A medium portion of cabbage - around 95g of the veg - counts towards one of your five a day.

And if you are struggling to know which cabbage to pick, savoy is a good bet.

The variety is packed with goodness, bursting with vitamin C and the B vitamin folate.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter