Recently, the close analysis of the remains of a 6.5-foot carp-like fish found by researchers at the Gesher Benot Ya’aqov (GBY) archaeological site in Israel revealed that the fish was cooked roughly 7,80,000 years ago using fire that too under a controlled temperature.
The researchers have studied the fish remains and the findings were published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
It sheds light on the use of controlled-temperature cooking, which helps retain nutrients. With this new discovery, now the use of fire for cooking has been verified largely.
The research
This scientific discovery has been made by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU), Tel Aviv University (TAU), and Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in collaboration with the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Oranim Academic College, the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR) institution, the Natural History Museum in London, and the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. Until now, the earliest evidence of cooking dates back to approximately 1,70,000 years ago.
The Bottom Line
Thus, experts agree that the veggies should not be cooked for too long and there should be a time limit maintained for it. They should not be cooked for more than 10 minutes, as it is during this time that the veggies are able to release their juices and nutrients. Any extra minute and you will find no benefits in consuming the vegetables. It is said that light cooking of 5-10 minutes enhances the absorption of carotenoids and isothiocyanates, which are found in several green veggies.
