Each issue of Vegan Journal we review products that are worthy of purchase. In the latest magazine we feature inexpensive vegan foods such as Sprouts Organic Baked Beans. Read the column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_veggie_bits.php

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By Jeanne Yacoubous, MS

Currently at over 35 locations mostly in the Midwest but quickly spreading nationwide, late founder Sahar Sander opened the first Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill restaurant in Naperville, IL, in 2009. According to the company website, the name Naf Naf (“Fan the Flame”) serves as a heartfelt invitation to gather around the table to share a meal. Featuring “authentic handmade recipes” true to Sander’s Middle Eastern upbringing, Naf Naf is still serving those dishes today.

The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) asked the Local Store Marketing and Catering Specialist at Naf Naf, about its vegan menu items. We were intrigued because, in their initial email, they had written that “our menu is 90% vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.”

Upon closer inspection of the Naf Naf menu, however, we found a few traditional Middle Eastern meat staples such as chicken shawarma and steak. Naf Naf also serves chicken tenders.

Other menu items that are not vegan at Naf Naf:

• Garlic sauce (made with mayonnaise)
• Nafziki (containing labneh, a Middle Eastern Cheese, made with microbial rennet)

They pointed out in a June 2026 email that:

“Our fries are fried in the same fryer as the chicken tenders but our falafel has its own fryer to avoid cross contamination. We are hopefully coming up with new innovative options with vegans in mind…, so I will let you know when there are new vegan options available. All our salads and sauces are made in house with fresh ingredients and no animal by-products.”

For more information about the vegan status of all the menu items at Naf Naf, readers may consult the Allergy Guide on the website. This helpful document contains a vegan icon next to the vegan items at Naf Naf. One vegan item on that list is lentil soup.

When we asked specifically about the falafel, they informed us that it is free of all animal- and dairy-derived ingredients.

The pre-made pita bread dough arrives at restaurants and is cooked in-house. We were informed that L-cysteine is not on the label. The VRG asked for confirmation that any “dough conditioner” listed – which could be how L-cysteine is present – does not contain L-cysteine, but the dough company has not responded to Naf Naf’s multiple inquiries.

Naf Naf offers basmati rice and couscous. We were told that both grains are prepared in “…soybean oil and spices; nothing animal-based…the pots that we use for our rice and couscous are only used for vegan dishes. We have separate cutting boards and knives for vegetables/meats as well.”

The hummus, spicy hummus, and baba ghanoush at Naf Naf are 100% plant-based. They, like all foods at Naf Naf, are prepared in “…soybean and olive oil…there’s no butter or tallow onsite.” These dishes are also prepared away from meat and dairy products.

The vegan sauces at Naf Naf are:

• Lemon vinaigrette
• Tahini
• S’khug
• Harissa
• Pomegranate vinaigrette

Naf Naf is currently offering, for a limited time only, a protein wrap made with a wheat flour tortilla…, hummus, pickles, and either chicken or falafel…and grilled until crispy. There is no L-cysteine in the tortilla; its dough conditioner is labeled as: “fumaric acid, xanthan gum, mono- and diglycerides, sodium metabisulphite.” There is no set end date for the wrap. If it’s popular, it could become a permanent menu item.

All Naf Nac franchises use the same ingredients in all menu items. “They are required to utilize the same products through the same vendors as corporate locations.”  “Franchises, [like corporate-owned restaurants], prepare their dishes onsite except for the [non-vegan] baklava which arrives pre-cooked.”

All Naf Naf locations follow the same standard operating procedures to avoid commingling between vegan and non-vegan items. “They are also subjected to surprise inspections three times a year to ensure they are following all company standards.”

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

For more on where to eat vegetarian in restaurants, see:

https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For more vegan information, subscribe to Vegan Journal: https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

The VRG Coordinators penned a column titled Vegan on a Budget in the latest issue of Vegan Journal. Quite often the international press continues to falsely promote the idea that vegan diets are too expensive. As vegans, we know that is not true and write about it. Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_note_coordinators.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

Pop & Bottle Peaches & Cream Matcha Almond Latte

By Emily Shoemaker, VRG Intern

As a member of Gen Z, I can confidently report that boba is one of the most popular treats of my generation. Commonly made with milk tea, boba combines some type of flavored drink as a base with tapioca pearls or other add-ons (often coated in a sweet syrup) to make a customized drink unique to your tastes. I have spent many hang outs at boba cafes and have even collected the materials to make the tapioca pearls at home. Today, I’ll be trying a plant-based milk tea, in this case matcha, to make my drink fully come to life.

The brand I tried is called Pop & Bottle. Their company is women founded and women led, born from a pair of friends “who bonded over their love of coffee and endless quest to find coffee products that met their quality and health standards.” Their drink options range from oat milk lattes, almond milk lattes, and coffee concentrates, and they can be bought through their website and in person through retailers such as Target and Giant. For my taste test, Target only had the almond latte variety, so I got two matcha flavors. I drank the Peaches and Cream Matcha Almond Latte by itself and made the Matcha Almond Latte into boba after.

On its own, the latte is very pleasantly mild in its flavor. It doesn’t overwhelm the palate or feel thick on your tongue. I found the flavor to be more in line with strawberry milk paired with a matcha undertone. The Peaches and Cream Matcha flavor was much sweeter than its Matcha counterpart, but it was in line with what I would hope to find in a flavored matcha drink.

For the second latte, I pulled out the boba that my family already had. We use the small size so that a normal sized straw can still suck up the pearls. For a more traditional experience, feel free to use larger ones. The cooking instructions are very simple, boil the pearls on high for 20 minutes until transparent. After that, take a spoonful of brown sugar and dissolve it in a small amount of hot water (enough to cover your pearls). After mixing the boba into the brown sugar mixture, you have your boba add on!

     The flavor of the matcha is not very sweet by itself, so I enjoyed the brown sugar adding a sweet edge to the drink. The pearls made the experience feel much more fancy and reminded me of a lot of good memories with my friends. I would recommend doing this with their coffee options as well, as boba can be enjoyed with just about any kind of flavored base and would make for a lovely morning pick-me-up!

For more information, see: https://www.popandbottle.com/pages/almond-milk-lattes

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Reed Mangels, PhD, RD’s Nutrition Hotline column offers information on federal food assistance programs offering vegan food. She discusses SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), WIC (Women, Infants, Children program), and local programs. Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_nutrition_hotline.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

Khepera said: As someone who was born and raised vegan due to my family history of heart disease from high cholesterol, I have always been interested in pursuing this plant-based lifestyle. I am currently a public health researcher at Morehouse School of Medicine studying how a plant-based diet can contribute to a higher quality of life after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Vegetarianism and veganism has been researched extensively and found to contribute to overall well-being and I believe it is my duty to encourage others to feel as good as I do. In addition to the health benefits of a veggie diet, I am also aware of the environmental implications of a plant-based lifestyle and the effects it can have on creating a safe world for both humans and animals alike. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O2JwiHvfU5Y

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group video contest is July 15, 2027. See https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

See other videos here: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

And https://www.youtube.com/@VegResourceGrp/shorts

For information about VRG’s $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors who have promoted veganism, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar  The next deadline is February 20, 2027.

To support VRG’s outreach to young people, join at https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

Or donate at vrg.org/donate

Lentil-Spinach Pilaf photo by Hannah Kaminsky

The latest issue of Vegan Journal features a fantastic article including low-cost vegan menus for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) with a week of meal plans as well as vegan recipes. This project was produced by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, along with the assistance of several VRG interns that gathered a lot of information. The meal plans utilize inexpensive vegan food items that are commonly found in markets. The low-cost recipes include Garbanzo Bean Burgers, Hearty Macaroni Dinner, Lentil-Spinach Pilaf, Whole Wheat Apple Muffins, and many more found at www.vrg.org/nutrition/low-cost-vegan-recipes.pdf

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_low-cost-vegan-menus-and-recipes.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

White Sands La Jolla

7450 Olivetas Avenue

La Jolla, CA 92037

(858) 230-8320

Independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing

Sample menu screenshots showed soymilk, “vegan lentil soup,” “vegan Indian chickpea bowl,” and “Beyond Bolognese with wholewheat penne pasta”

istockphoto

by Alexandra Holzinger and Emily Shoemaker, VRG interns

Introduction

In recent years, the concept of an “Ultra-processed Food” (UPF) has entered the policy world as a topic of high priority concern nationwide. It stems from the alleged harms that come from your standard junk food; some of which include higher rates of heart failure, high cholesterol, and obesity, becoming significantly more prevalent and publicized issues. The problem? Junk food isn’t a formalized group of foods. They are, however, often categorized by their highly processed nature allowing for fillers, additives, and sweeteners to bulk up the product while reducing its vitamin content and other nutrition values.

History and Context

Thus, the concept of an UPF was born. Researchers at the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition (housed at the University of São Paulo in Brazil) broke up the food we eat into three major categories, called the NOVA food classification system.¹ The study was done in 2010 as a result of “the obesity pandemic” that was arising globally.² The groups went as follows: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods (for more information, see Ultra-processed or Smartly Processed? ). They found that diets consisting mainly of UPF were linked to increased “risk of obesity and other nutrition-related chronic diseases.”²

While their article does use some general rules for classification, the main qualifier for a UPF is “food products that are ready to eat or ready to heat with little or no preparation,” resulting from “the processing of several foodstuffs”. This definition does not clearly distinguish between unhealthily processed food and food specifically processed to be more healthy and nutritious for the sake of a person’s diet.² The NOVA system specifies that foods with preservatives and fortifiers are considered minimally processed, however some state governments in the U.S. have adopted similar definitions, without specifically categorizing fortified foods.¹

 The Five Definitions

As state governments began to take an interest in UPFs, they needed a solid way to define them. Specifically, many states focused on the current UPF content in school lunches as children are limited to the variety of meals offered in their cafeteria. In fact, all states that we found at this time which have taken a stance on UPF have done so in the context of ensuring that students are served healthy school lunches. The only exception to this scope is New York, who has elected to require education on UPF be taught to kids in public schools instead. Inspired by the NOVA food classification system, state legislatures are hoping that these new regulations will operate as a means of protecting the nutritional integrity of public school lunches, ultimately aiming to promote health in the nation’s youth.³

Each state’s UPF regulations prevent school cafeterias from serving foods that fit that state’s definition of an ultra-processed food, but protect the students’ right to bring any food in a packed lunch. There are five general definitions total, with two being more common than the rest. The most common definition has been dubbed “the standard 11” (utilized by Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Arizona, and Utah). These state regulations define ultra-processed foods as any food or beverage that contains potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, yellow dye 5, yellow dye 6, blue dye 1, blue dye 2, green dye 3, red dye 3, or red dye 40.^4-14

Some states are regulating school menus to allow only a percentage of listed items to be UPFs, and others propose total bans. In South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Arizona, and Utah, the associated bill has already been enacted. However, for Florida and Texas, their bills have since died, in both cases due to a full ban being impractical for their existing school systems. In Missouri, New Jersey, and North Carolina, the proposed bill has been referred to other committees for further consideration.

Other states have taken to grouping by a food’s general contents, commonly defining ultra-processed foods as any food or beverage that contains high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, added sugar, or nonnutritive sweeteners; surface-active agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners, propellants, aerating agents, gases, colors and coloring adjuncts, flavoring agents and adjuvants, flavor enhancers, nonnutritive sweeteners.^15-17 Three legislatures are currently working on or with bills under this definition: California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. All three propose a full ban on UPF in public school lunches.

California has enacted this bill into law, also banning “restricted school foods,” which evidently cause chronic diseases, are hyperpalatable, or are high in saturated fat, added sugar, or salt.¹⁵ Illinois’ version of this bill is currently in the House Rules Committee for further review, before it will eventually be moved to the House floor for a final vote.¹⁶ As for Pennsylvania, the bill is pending in the House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee after referral on April 21, 2025.¹⁷ Its definition breaks UPF up into healthy and unhealthy categories using “healthy” as defined by the FDA, with only “unhealthy” UPF being restricted.

Massachusetts has created a unique definition for ultra-processed foods, including foods that contain substances never or rarely used in kitchens and additives designed to make food more palatable, appealing, or preservable. This includes high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or interesterified oils, hydrolysed proteins, flavors, flavor enhancers, colors, emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, sweeteners, thickeners, nitrates, nitrites, preservatives, and anti-foaming, bulking, carbonating, foaming, gelling, and glazing agents.^18-20 This bill is yet to be passed as of the time of writing of this article, and is currently pending in the House Ways and Means Committee. Its scope has been highly contested, as there are very few verifiable ways to determine the “substances never or rarely used in kitchens.” Even if that hurdle could be jumped, banning all foods that have added sweeteners, thickeners, flavors, hydrolysed proteins, and nitrate preservatives bans the vast majority of foods found in your typical lunch box, such as most breads, most deli meats, most condiments, and many plant-based meat substitutes.

West Virginia’s definition of a UPF combines aspects of both Massachusetts’ and California’s bills, banning a food or beverage product that is industrially manufactured using a series of mechanical, chemical, or biological processes not typically performed in a household kitchen; as well as foods containing any two or more ingredients whose primary purpose is to enhance palatability, texture, appearance, or shelf stability.^21,22 The bill was introduced and passed through both chambers, but failed to be signed by the governor before the legislative session ended in March, 2026. Its scope faced many of the same problems as Massachusetts.

The last state with an ultra-processed food definition is New York, the only state not regulating UPFs inclusion in school lunches and instead focusing on educating kids on their harms as well as labeling laws. ^3,23,24 A UPF is defined as any food or beverage that contains high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, added sugar, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. This bill is active in the Assembly Education Committee. Its scope has very little impact on an UPFs availability and mainly affects their labeling and public image.

Effects on Vegan Diets

Each state’s definition of an ultra-processed food leaves various foods excluded. Though many foods linked to chronic disease are predictably excluded from school lunch, many nutritious vegan and vegetarian staples such as plant milks, plant-based meat alternatives, nutritional yeast, and other fortified foods are left with varying levels of accessibility.

According to the standard 11, plant milks, plant-based meats, nutritional yeast, and other fortified products are not considered UPF. However, due to the presence of emulsifiers and stabilizers, plant milks and plant meats that contain emulsifiers or stabilizers could be banned from schools in Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, if the bills are enacted. Plant-based milks that have been staples in school lunches such as Pacific Food, Kikkoman Pearl, Ripple, 8th Continent, and Silk Soy all contain at least one of the following emulsifiers or stabilizers: xanthan gum, carrageenan, soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin, gum arabic, guar gum, gellan gum, and locust bean gum.^25-29 As for plant-based meats, popular brands such as Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger include methylcellulose as the primary emulsion stabilizer.^30,31 Though California’s bill also rejects emulsifiers and stabilizers; soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, and other similar nondairy milks are specifically exempt.

Additionally, West Virginia’s definition includes foods and beverages that are industrially manufactured using processes that are “not typically performed in a household kitchen” and creates unclear boundaries. The formulation processes for fortified products are not generally conducted in household kitchens, making their processing classification uncertain.

Conclusion

While not all states have begun classifying UPFs, the vast majority that have generally leave vegan diets alone. Of the 15 states with UPF definitions in play or previously in play, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Illinois, and Pennsylvania would apparently ban plant milks and plant meats from being served in public school lunches due to the emulsifiers and stabilizers present. Massachusetts and West Virginia (if the bill is reintroduced) may additionally ban fortified products from being served, though it isn’t currently clear how those distinctions will be made. It is important to note, however, that many of these bills are early on in their approval process, and it is unknown if exceptions will be made as these laws move through their respective legislatures. We’ll be interested in the testimony of manufacturers of various plant-based products.

For more information on UPFs legislation at the federal level, [insert link to federal bill article here].

References

1. Food classification Nova | nupens. (2023). In Nupens | Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health. https://nupens.fsp.usp.br/en/food-classification-nova/
2. Monteiro CA, Levy RB, Claro R M, et al. A new classification of foods based on the extent and purpose of their processing. Cadernos de Saúde Pública. 2010;26:2039–2049
3. An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring instruction on nutrition in schools, no. A11087, The New York State Senate (2026). https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A11087
4. Ultra-Processed Food, no. SB 1826, The Florida Senate (2025). https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1826
5. Relating to prohibiting ultraprocessed food from being served or sold to students in public schools., (2025) (testimony of Partisan Bill), 89(R) HB 3292, Texas Legislature (2025). https://capitol.texas.gov/Search/DocViewer.aspx?DocId=89RHB032921B&AllWords=&AnyWords=ultraprocessed&ExactWords=&CustomWords=&DocType=B
6. SNAP Lunches no. S. 589, South Carolina General Assembly (2025). https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/589.htm
7. SNAP Lunches no. H. 4339, South Carolina General Assembly (2025), https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4339.htm
8. AL HB580. Alison Legislature State Alabama (2026). https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/HB580-int.pdf
9. AN ACT Relating to School Nutrition 25Rs HB 439. Kentucky General Assembly (2025). https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25rs/hb439.html
10. Ultra Processed Foods in Schools, MHB2887, Missouri House of Representatives. (2026). https://house.mo.gov/billdocumentmobile.aspx?year=2026&code=r%20&bill=hb2887
11. An Act Concerning Ultraprocessed Food, S946, New Jersey Legislature. (2026) https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/S946/bill-text?f=S1000&n=946_I1
12. House Bill 874, North Carolina General Assembly. (2025). https://www.ncleg.gov/billlookup/2025/h874
13. Arizona Healthy Schools Act, no. 2164, Arizona House of Representatives (2025). https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/laws/0052.pdf
14. Foods Additives in Schools, no. HB0402, Utah House of Representatives (2025). https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0402.html
15. Pupil nutrition: restricted school foods and ultraprocessed foods of concern: prohibition, no. AB-1264, California Legislative Information (2025). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1264
16. House Bill 5507, Illinois General Assembly (2026). https://ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?GAID=18&DocNum=5507&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=167481&SessionID=114
17. An act Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled “An act relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto,” in school health services, providing for unhealthy ultra-processed food prohibited in competitive Foods.”, no. HB1132, The General Assembly of Pennsylvania (2025). https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1132/PN1417
18. An Act Relative to Healthy School Lunches, no. S.401, General Court of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2025). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S401
19. An Act Relative to Healthy School Lunches, no. H.4562, General Court of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2025). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4562
20. An Act Relative to Healthy School Lunches, no. H.539, General Court of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2025). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H539
21. West Virginia Code §18-5D-3A. Unsafe food additives prohibited. https://code.wvlegislature.gov/18-5D-3A/ (accessed July 26th, 2026)
22. To Ban Ultra-processed Foods (Exempt Drinks) from Schools in West Virginia, no. HB5481, West Virginia Legislature (2026). https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb5481%20intr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=5481
23. An act to amend the agriculture and markets law and the public health law, in relation to food and food product advertising, no. S7487B, The New York State Senate (2026).
24. An act to amend the agriculture and markets law and the public health law, in relation to food and food product advertising, no. S7487C, The New York State Senate (2026).
25. 8th Continent Original Soymilk, half gallon, Price Rite. (2026). https://www.priceritemarketplace.com/sm/planning/rsid/127/product/8th-continent-original-soymilk-half-gallon-00053859070663 (accessed July 26th, 2026)
26. Original Dairy-Free Plant-Based Milk, Ripple Foods (2026). https://dev.ripplefoods.com/original-plant-milk/ (accessed July 26th, 2026)
27. PEARL® Organic Soymilk Smart Original, Kikkoman USA (2026). https://kikkomanusa.com/products/pearl-organic-soymilk-smart-original/ (accessed July 26th, 2026)
28. Pacific Foods® Original Ultra Soy Milk, Plant Based Milk, Campbells Food Service (2026). https://www.campbellsfoodservice.com/product/ultra-soy-original-beverage/ (accessed July 26th, 2026)
29. Original Soymilk | Silk®, Silk (2026). https://silk.com/plant-based-products/soymilk/original-soymilk/ (accessed July 26th, 2026)
30. FAQ, Impossible Foods (2026). https://faq.impossiblefoods.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018937494-What-are-the-ingredients-in-Impossible-Beef-Meat-From-Plants (accessed July 26th, 2026)
31. Beyond Burger | Vegan Patties with Avocado Oil | Beyond, Beyond (2026). https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-US/products/the-beyond-burger/beyond-burger (accessed July 26th, 2026)

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By chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

It’s often interesting to talk about “what’s better for you: cooked or raw fruits and vegetables?” The answer, which has been debated since, well, people have been cooking, is generally “it depends.”

Our blog column is too short to get into details about raw versus cooked philosophies. We’ll try to have a fast, “food for thought” column, rather than attempting to get into the very fine points. Several generalities on this topic could be:

1. Prepare fruits and vegetables the way you enjoy them, so you will be willing consume them on a regular basis!
2. Over processing (boiling for extended periods of time, for example) is rarely a positive for fruit and vegetable enjoyment or for nutrient value; Overcooked Brussel sprouts never won any flavor or vitamin awards.
3. Nutrition is not meant to be an “always or never” routine. Fresh spinach salad one day, steamed garlic spinach the next day… each menu item offers some type of and level of nutrition. “Cooking” may mean up to only 118 degrees for some and roasting over a wood fire for others; raw may mean plucked from the tree and eaten or microwaved for thirty seconds and cooled; each technique provides some level of nutrition.

Way back when, there may have not been a great deal of choice whether fruits and vegetables were cooked or processed, or not. If you lived in an area that had year-round crops, you could have some guarantee that fruits and vegetables would be available throughout the year, no processing needed. If you lived in a limited-growing climate, then fruits and vegetables needed to be cooked or processed to ensure a steady food supply.

If we listen to food technologists, we understand that the way fruits and vegetables are cooked or warmed does make a difference in nutrient availability and absorption. Some nutrients will be better absorbed if veggies or fruit are prepared or eaten with a small amount of healthy fat. The fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, and nutrients found in plants, especially beta-carotene, lycopene, and carotenoids, are better absorbed when a bit of fat is included. So, for example, vegetables or fruit in a salad, served with a small amount of dressing, avocado, or nuts can help with absorption of fat-soluble nutrients. As a rule of thumb, we are speaking about a teaspoon or so of fat per serving. Larger amounts of fat don’t improve the amount of absorption.

Heat breaks down cell walls, releasing nutrients. For example, cooked or heat processed (sun-drying would be one technique) tomato products tend to have higher levels of available lycopene than raw tomatoes. Vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, cabbage, and peppers supply more carotenoids or flavonoids to the body when cooked or warmed than when eaten raw. Oxalates and phytates are substances found in many fruits and vegetables, and can impede the ability to absorb calcium and iron. Light cooking or heating helps to break down these substances, allowing the body to absorb more calcium and iron.

Water soluble vitamins, Vitamin C and all the B vitamins (B6, B12, folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, etc.) are heat sensitive. Fruits and vegetables eaten for these vitamins may supply more nutrients if consumed raw. Broccoli and cauliflower, chard, peppers, beets, and radishes contain nutrients that may “leech out” if exposed to a lot of cooking liquid or prolonged heat. If it is desirable to cook these fruits or vegetables, try to use the cooking water (which may contain some of the nutrients lost from the cooked vegetables). Soups, vegetables stews or borscht are ways to obtain water soluble vitamins, as is using the cooking water to prepare rice, grains, pasta or beans.

Both mushrooms and spinach benefit from gentle cooking or heating to release nutrients. The B vitamins found in mushrooms, and the calcium and Vitamin K found in spinach are better absorbed when these veggies are quickly blanched or sautéed.

Of course, this information needs to be considered in the context of regular intake. A menu plan that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables on a regular basis should contribute to health. Varying preparation techniques are helpful, as well… a spinach salad one day, vegan creamed spinach the next day. If fruits and vegetables are more of an “I should really do this” with small portions on an occasional basis, rather than “I really look forward to this” with multiple portions throughout the week, than, hopefully, the maximizing of nutrients will be a consideration.