What Do We Really Get From Food?

We’re often told we need nutrients: vitamins, minerals, all the usual suspects. And sure, those matter. But that’s not the whole picture.

Take apples, for example. People love to say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But it’s not just the nutrients in the apple that help. It’s also the natural enzymes, tiny compounds that help spark all sorts of useful reactions in the body. Different apples, different effects.

Or think back to the days of long sea voyages. Sailors didn’t bring limes on board just for flavor. There was something in those fruits that helped keep them healthy. We now know vitamin C played the main role, but those fresh enzymes didn’t hurt either.

Here’s the thing: when we overcook or overly process our food, many of those natural enzymes are lost. The food still fills you up, but it may not support you in the same way.

So if you want to get more from what you eat, it’s worth learning how to cook in a way that keeps the good stuff intact.

We’ll talk more about that tomorrow.