Anti-cancer cooking guide
How you cook your food can preserve — or destroy — up to 100% of its anti-cancer properties.
✅ Recommended methods
Steaming
IdealPreserves all anti-cancer properties. No contact with water — phytochemical compounds don't dissolve.
💡 3-5 min for broccoli, 8-10 min for firm cruciferous vegetables.
Parchment (en papillote)
IdealIdeal for fatty fish. Preserves up to 100% of omega-3 — versus only 70% in a pan.
💡 15-18 min at 180°C. Add lemon, ginger and herbs.
Soup & broth
ExcellentConcentrates phytochemical compounds in the broth. Antioxidants pass into the liquid — never discard cooking broth!
💡 Ideal for mushrooms, cruciferous vegetables, root vegetables.
Wok (quick)
AcceptableHigh heat and short cooking time preserve most compounds. Olive or sesame oil helps absorb carotenoids.
💡 Less than 5 minutes. High heat, don't cover.
Low oven / slow cooking
GoodModerate temperatures (140-160°C). Ideal for stews, ratatouille, legumes.
💡 Avoid temperatures > 200°C for delicate vegetables.
Raw
Ideal for some foodsIdeal for garlic, onions, fresh herbs and fruits. Garlic's allicin is active when crushed raw and left 10 minutes.
💡 Crush garlic 10 min before use to activate allicin.
⚠️ Methods to limit
Pan / grill
⚠️ ReductionReduces properties without eliminating them. Omega-3 in fish are reduced by about 30% versus parchment cooking.
💡 Acceptable for white meat. Avoid for fatty fish.
❌ Methods to avoid
Boiling water
❌ DestroysDestroys sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol from broccoli and cruciferous vegetables. These compounds dissolve and evaporate in the cooking water.
⚡ Never boil cruciferous vegetables. Always prefer steaming.
Microwave in plastic
❌ DangerousHeat in plastic containers releases bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates — endocrine disruptors linked to hormonal cancers.
⚡ Use only glass or ceramic containers in the microwave.
🔬 Important special cases
Tomatoes
Must be cookedCooking releases lycopene contained in cell walls. Raw tomatoes contain lycopene, but it has low bioavailability.
✦ Always with olive oil (improves lycopene absorption x3).
Green tea
80°C max — 10 min minimumBoiling water (100°C) denatures catechins (EGCG). Infusion must last at least 10 minutes to release all polyphenols.
✦ Consume within the hour. Do not add milk (neutralizes polyphenols).
Garlic
Crush then wait 10 minAllicin forms through an enzymatic reaction when garlic cells are broken. This reaction requires 10 minutes in the open air.
✦ Add garlic at the end of cooking to preserve maximum allicin.
Quick reference
| Method | Properties preserved | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Steaming | 100% | All vegetables |
| Parchment | 100% | Fatty fish |
| Broth/soup | Concentrated in liquid | Mushrooms, cruciferous veg. |
| Quick wok | ~80% | Firm vegetables |
| Raw | 100% (if applicable) | Garlic, onions, fruits, herbs |
| Pan | ~70% | Acceptable for meats |
| Boiling water | Low (cruciferous) | Avoid for cruciferous |
| Microwave in plastic | 0% (BPA risk) | To ban |