Vitamins and minerals are not only important but crucial parts of our diet.

While our bodies synthesize some vitamins, many come only from our diets and all are necessary for optimal health and perfectly functioning bodies. While eating foods in their whole, natural state is the best way to get your allotment of vitamins, there are plenty of supplements available to ensure you get the vitamins you require.

Also, many naturally occuring vitamins are lost in food preparation and/or storage. Some tips for obtaining and retaining vitamins from/in your food include:

• Use a minimal amount of cooking water.
• Better yet, eat your vegetables raw.
• Eat dark and bright fruits and vegetables as often as possible.
• Cook foods for the shortest possible time.
• Avoid over-agitation.
• Do not add baking soda.
• Cook vegetables into soups to retain any vitamins in the soup water.
• Handle fruits and vegetables as little as possible.
• Use a brush to clean vegetables instead of a knife to scrape them.
• Cook in their natural state as far as possible.

Some vitamins are more temperamental than others. For instance, water soluble vitamins such as vitamin C will dissolve into the cooking liquid. Grinding, cutting, and mashing fruits and vegetables can cause significant loss of vitamin C.

As a general rule, whole, natural foods are healthier than fortified foods, which usually have the goodness stripped out and then vitamins are added back in.