vitamin A and cooking

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/1/02 6:24:07 AM,

writes:

>Do you know how much of the Vitamin A is lost in cooking foods, so for

>

>example would cooked liver or egg yolk or sweet potato have less?

Preformed vitamin A and retinol is relatively stable to heat and light;

however it can be destroyed by oxidation. It's bio-potency can be reduced by

the presence of transition elements (ferric iron, cupric copper) and

protected by vitamin E and other antioxidants. Generally animals sources of

vitamin A still have ample amount of bioavailable vitamin A after cooking.

The carotenoids actually release more of their pro-vitamin A stores when

cooked. In many of the plants sources the carotenoids of bound to proteins

and are not particularly bio-available. However cooking disrupts the protein

bonds and frees up the carotenoids. Thus cooked carrots, yams, greens,

spinach, etc. actually yieldmore vitamin A when cooked. Hope this answers

your question.

Namaste, Liz

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