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Pune: The way vegetables are cooked can affect how much nutrition remains on the plate. Air frying and boiling work differently, so neither method is always the best choice.

Boiling cooks vegetables in hot water, while an air fryer uses hot, circulating air with little or no added oil. This difference is important because some nutrients can move from vegetables into water during cooking.

Why Boiling Can Reduce Some Nutrients

Vitamin C and several B vitamins are water-soluble. When vegetables are boiled in a large amount of water, some of these nutrients can move into the water. If the water is drained and thrown away, some of the nutrients are lost too.

Longer cooking times can increase these losses, especially for vegetables that are naturally rich in vitamin C.

However, boiled vegetables are still nutritious. They continue to provide fibre, minerals, vitamins and other useful plant compounds.

There is also a simple way to reduce the loss. If vegetables are cooked in soup, dal, sambar or stewthe cooking liquid is eaten instead of discarded. This means some of the nutrients that move into the water remain part of the meal.

Does Air Frying Preserve More Nutrients?

Air frying has one clear advantage over boiling: vegetables are not immersed in water. This can help reduce the loss of water-soluble nutrients.

Air frying can also make vegetables crispier and more appealing, which may encourage people to eat more of them.

But air frying is still a high-heat cooking method. Very high temperatures or long cooking times can reduce certain heat-sensitive nutrients. Therefore, air frying does not automatically preserve every nutrient.

What Happens To Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene And Minerals?

Vitamin C is particularly sensitive to both heat and water. Boiling can cause greater losses because the vitamin can escape into the cooking water.

Beta-carotene, found in vegetables such as carrots, behaves differently. Cooking can soften plant tissues and sometimes make certain compounds easier for the body to use.

Minerals are generally not destroyed by heat in the same way as some vitamins. However, some can move into boiling water and be lost if the water is discarded.

This is why there is no single cooking method that is best for every vegetable and every nutrient.

So, Should You Air Fry Or Boil?

For vegetables where preserving water-soluble nutrients is important, air frying can have an advantage over prolonged boiling.

However, boiling is still a good option when less water is used, cooking time is kept reasonable or the cooking liquid becomes part of the meal.

Steaming is another useful option because vegetables have little contact with water.

Most importantly, there is no need to buy an air fryer just to eat healthier. A stovetop can also produce nutritious meals. The biggest priority is eating a variety of vegetables regularly and avoiding unnecessarily long or high-temperature cooking.

The healthiest choice may simply be the cooking method that makes you enjoy vegetables and eat them more often.

Quick Takeaway:

• Air frying can reduce nutrient loss caused by contact with water.
• Long boiling can reduce vitamin C and some B vitamins.
• Eating the cooking liquid can help retain nutrients lost during boiling.
• High temperatures and long cooking can also reduce some nutrients during air frying.
• Steaming, light cooking and using varied methods are all good options.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not replace personalized medical or dietary advice. Nutrient retention varies depending on the vegetable, temperature, cooking time, amount of water and preparation method.