How foods are cooked can have a big impact on their nutrient content. That's because many vitamins are sensitive to heat and air exposure (vitamin C, the B vitamins, and folate in particular). Loss of nutrients increases as cooking time increases and with higher temperatures.

Cooking methods that minimize the time, temperature, and amount of water needed will help to preserve nutrients.

Steaming is a great way to cook vegetables quickly and retain valuable nutrients. Microwave cooking is also good because it uses minimal water, and the cooking time is very short. Stir frying is another way to quickly cook a variety of vegetables.

Here are a few other tricks you can use to preserve nutrients:

Leave vegetables in big pieces. That way fewer vitamins are destroyed when they are exposed to air.

Always cover your pot to hold in steam and heat. This will also help to reduce cooking time. Use any leftover cooking water for soups and stews, sauces or vegetable juice drinks.

Eat fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible in salads and smoothies, or as whole fruits and vegetables.

Cook vegetables until crisp. Don't overcook.

Use as little water as possible when cooking.

All of the tips above will help you retain the maximum amount of nutrients in your fruits and vegetables. The most important factor, however, is to eat LOTS of fruits and vegetables each day cooked and raw.

Diabetes 101 workshop Sept. 11 in Gainesville
Does your diabetes management sometimes seem like a Monday morning diet? You resolve to do better each week and then those promises melt away as the day progresses resulting in feelings of guilt and regret? If this sounds like how you or someone you love struggles with managing diabetes, then you will want to attend Diabetes 101 in Gainesville on Sept. 11.

The program will offer a selection of 20 diabetes workshops, cooking demonstrations and exhibits that you will find informative and motivating. You will learn about what is happening in diabetes research, the current trends in self-management and see the newest diabetes supplies and technology. You will have time to talk to other people affected by diabetes and be able to share real-life strategies that make diabetes easier to handle.

Diabetes 101 is an annual event of the American Diabetes Association and local health care providers, who are experts in diabetes management. The doors open at 7:30 a.m. at the Georgia Mountains Center in downtown Gainesville so you can view the exhibits before the program, which begins promptly at 8:30. The cost is $15 per person; $20 after Sept. 3. Lunch is free to all attendees.

Scholarships are available to cover the admission fee if you are unable to pay. For more information on scholarships or to register for the program call 888-DIABETES ext. 3166.

Debbie Wilburn is county extension agent in family and consumer
science with the Hall County Extension. Contact: 770-535-8290.