Boiling spinach helps break down oxalic acid, making its nutrients like vitamin A, iron, and calcium more available for absorption.
Boiling potatoes reduces their resistant starch content, making them easier to digest while retaining essential nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6.
Boiling tomatoes can increase the availability of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to various health benefits, including reduced risk of certain cancers.
Boiling legumes can reduce anti-nutrients like lectins and phytic acid, which can interfere with nutrient absorption. It also makes them easier to digest and improves their protein availability.
Boiling beets helps to soften their tough outer skin and makes their nutrients like folate and betalains more available for absorption.
Boiling carrots increases the availability of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, making it more easily absorbed by the body.
Lightly boiling broccoli can reduce goitrogens, compounds that can interfere with thyroid function, while preserving its vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber content.
While not a "food" that you'd typically think of as becoming healthier, boiling eggs can make their protein more digestible and absorbable compared to consuming them raw or undercooked.