Vitamin C Loss in Gazpacho, Study Says

I remember the first time I had gazpacho; I was eight, it was summer and my mom had family over for dinner.  She set a bowl of what I thought was soup in front of me, I took a sip. Loudly and with a hint of disgust, I yelled “It’s cold.”  Needless to say my mom wasn’t entirely happy with me, but I guess the feeling was mutual; I felt soup should be warm.

But each unto their own.

Many people love gazpacho, but this dish may come at a cost, specifically with nutrient loss of vitamin C.  Gazpacho is often touted as a great source of vitamin A, C & E.  Gazpacho is cold soup made of plenty of raw vegetables.  A new scientific study from University of Madrid and the University of La Laguna found that after preparation of gazpacho, vitamin C levels in the gazpacho rapidly began to diminish.

To get the most health benefit from eating gazpacho, the Spanish scientists feel that it should be eaten as soon as possible after preparation.  Of course, you could also be like me and skip the entire gazpacho fiasco all together.  What this research does tell us; however, is that cooking and preparation of vegetables can detrimentally affect the nutritional value of the food.  While I’m not necessarily a fan of the raw diet, there may be certain truths that we all should begin to follow regarding how vegetables should be prepared, cooked, and eaten to minimize nutrient loss.

Gazpacho ingredients lose vitamin C during preparation