<p>Does your food lose its nutritional value as soon as it hits the heat? This week on Nutrition Diva, Monica answers a listener's question about how different cooking methods—specifically the Instant Pot versus the stovetop—impact the vitamins and minerals in your meals.</p><br><p>We look into the science of nutrient retention, debunking "urban legends" about microwaving, and explaining why frozen vegetables might actually be more nutritious than the "fresh" ones sitting on your counter.</p><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>The "New Car" Analogy:</strong> Does nutrient value drop immediately, or is it a gradual decline?</li><li><strong>Pressure Cooking vs. Boiling:</strong> Why the Instant Pot often beats the stove for preserving fragile vitamins.</li><li><strong>The Leftover Equation:</strong> How many nutrients are actually left in your 3-day-old chili?</li><li><strong>The Cardinal Rule:</strong> The one thing you should never do when reheating food (hint: it’s not about the nutrients, it's about microplastics).</li><li><strong>The Kale Chip Lesson:</strong> Why the "most nutritious" way to cook is the one that actually gets eaten.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Related Episodes:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Episode #654:</strong> Is Raw Food Better Than Cooked?</li><li><strong>Episode #592:</strong> Are Frozen Vegetables Healthy?</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>If you’re listening on Spotify, check the poll: Do you prefer your veggies raw, roasted, or steamed?</strong></p><br><p>New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/59vwhJqu3bTvSCRsXmbqY6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Spotify playlist</strong></a>&nbsp;for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself!&nbsp;</p><p>We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1w4QoYhyNeiNXmG8i36n5r?si=fEPfi3EyR8SpTSGrOMCsWw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Staying Strong as We Age</strong></a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ElNfNcs5JNgFEKA9TCW1d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Diabetes</strong></a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qNro1QNdnjz8BIUq8DA44?si=Wx4vacCtTzWFsCmYsJqQrg&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=cc716db299654817" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Weight Loss That Lasts</strong></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/72UY4cxujSxcOcRiPflsyi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Gut Health</strong></a>! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/40l1EDvXS55Ar1YdN0dolA?si=nw7KfroLQq2LUqlkYydlkA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Stronger Bones at Every Age</strong></a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Have a nutrition question? Send an email to [email protected].</p><p>Follow Nutrition Diva on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/qdtnutrition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Facebook</strong></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/nutrition-diva-newsletter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>subscribe to the newsletter</strong></a>&nbsp;for more diet and nutrition tips.&nbsp;</p><p>Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at&nbsp;<a href="https://wellnessworkshere.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>WellnessWorksHere.com</strong></a></p><p>Nutrition Diva is a part of the<a href="https://quickanddirtytips.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>&nbsp;Quick and Dirty Tips</strong></a>&nbsp;podcast network.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>