ABSTRACT
Cooking or xing raw foods is the nal step in food preparation before nutrients are consumed and released in the body. Cooking is necessary for carbohydrate-rich foods, meat, and certain vegetables. Cooking has a great inuence, which can be positive or negative, on the eating quality including appearance, sensory attributes, antinutrient inactivation, and nutrient bioavailability. Cooking by blanching, boiling reduces the levels of pesticides or natural toxicants such as the insecticide rotenone in foods [1]. Most nutrients in foods are soluble either in water or in oil. Depending on the cooking method, cooking can either concentrate or reduce the levels of nutrients in the cooked foods. The following paragraphs analyze the association of cooking methods and health. First, the relationship of Western cooking practices and health is analyzed. Second, a variety of cooking practices some of which are as old as human civilization are presented with their advantages and disadvantages.
