For whatever reason, it sometimes feels like the “healthiest” way to eat fruits and vegetables is raw. Maybe because it seems more natural, our brains trick us to believe that they have more vitamins or minerals in this form. Whereas this might be true for some fruits and vegetables, sometimes cooking them actually benefits your health more. Whether it’s because cooking makes the food easier to digest, or because cooking it brings out other properties, there are many reasons to cook your fruits and vegetables.
A perfect example of this is apples! Yes, cooking your apples makes them taste better, that we know! But cooking them—specifically, stewing them—actually makes them even better for your health. Stewed apples have been found to be amazing for your gut health. They contain important prebiotics, which help the healthy bacteria in your gut. They also have lots of fiber, which helps with digestion processes.
The process of stewing involves heating apples with water over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they are soft. Many people like to add cinnamon too, as it brings a delicious flavor to the apples. You can eat these on their own, or add them to your oatmeal or on top of pancakes!
