Vitamins… ten professional tips Easy ideas… to stick on your fridge! Never leave vegetables to soak for a long time as the vitamins dissolve in water. Do not cut vegetables into tiny pieces when cooking. It’s best to leave them whole in the saucepan to avoid vitamins from dispersing. Avoid exposing vegetables and fruit juice to the light as light rays can reduce the vitamin content. Don’t buy iron and vitamin-C enriched vitamins as iron accelerates the degradation of vitamin C by releasing particularly dangerous molecules. There’s no point in buying “fresh” vegetables if they are then stored for several days in the fridge. For example a tomato loses half its vitamin C content after a week spent in cold storage! Remember that although coloured foods keep their pretty colouring when steamed, pale coloured ingredients can slightly brown with the effect of condensation. Cauliflower, chicken fillets, aubergines, etc… Sprinkle them with lemon juice before cooking to preserve their pale colour. Avoid adding salt, pepper and spices at the start of cooking as they evaporate. Only add condiments at the end or when ready to serve. Vary your pleasures: You can for example replace water by cider, lemon juice, wine or herb, garlic or onion flavoured vinegar.