
Cooking Methods and Vitamin C in Carrots
Hard
Does boiling destroy more vitamin C than steaming? Vegetables lose nutrients during cooking. Both the method and the time matter.
You cook carrot cubes by boiling and steaming at three intervals: 15, 30, and 45 minutes. Then you measure the remaining vitamin C using an iodine titration test. Each sample gets sulfuric acid and starch solution before testing.
Comparing all six samples shows which method preserves the most vitamin C. You also see how cooking time changes the result.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that boiling destroys more vitamin C content than steaming.
Method & Materials
You will wash and prepare the carrots, cut them into cubes, rinse them, boil and steam them, and then measure the Vitamin C content.
You will need carrots, a knife, a stainless steel pot, a steaming basket, a stopwatch, water, vacuum packing bags, a vacuum electrical packer, pipettes, a burette, a colander, a beaker, sulfuric acid, starch solution, iodine solution, and a marker.
Results
Our experiment showed that boiling does destroy more vitamin C content than steaming, but the vitamin C content does not steadily decrease. In fact, it increased from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. This information can help us maximize the nutritional benefits of our food.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it helps us understand how different cooking methods affect the nutritional content of our food.
Also Consider
Consider experimenting with different types of vegetables, and try different methods of cooking such as deep frying.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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