University of Seville Study Identifies Optimal Cooking Methods to Maximize Nutrient Absorption and Energy Efficiency in Vegetables

University of Seville research shows air frying and baking can increase carrot and tomato nutrient absorption by up to 70 times while saving 80% more energy.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 4:10 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Seville

The Nutritional Transformation of Thermal Processing

Recent experimental evidence from the University of Seville’s Food Colour and Quality Laboratory suggests that raw consumption may not be the most effective way to harvest the health benefits of common vegetables. By analyzing the digestion process of tomatoes and carrots, researchers found that the bioavailability of carotenoids, compounds essential for long term health, fluctuates dramatically based on the heating method applied. According to the study, applying heat breaks down cellular barriers, allowing the body to access nutrients that otherwise remain trapped and unabsorbed during the natural digestive cycle.

Dramatic Gains in Carrot Nutrient Accessibility

The impact of heat on carrot composition represents one of the most significant findings of the report, with total carotenoid bioavailability increasing ninefold after oven roasting. Even more striking is the effect on vitamin A precursors, which are critical for combating global nutritional deficiencies. According to the research team, the absorption rates for alpha carotene and beta carotene from cooked carrots were between 26 and 71 times higher than those recorded for raw samples, suggesting that traditional raw vegetable diets may be less efficient for vitamin A synthesis than previously assumed.

Optimizing Tomato Preparation for Skin Health

For tomatoes, the study identifies air frying and conventional baking as the superior methods for unlocking both colored and colorless carotenoids like phytoene and phytofluene. While the overall increase in bioavailability for tomatoes was a more modest 1.5 fold compared to raw states, the researchers emphasized the biological importance of these specific compounds. These colorless carotenoids are known to accumulate in human skin, where they serve as a secondary internal defense mechanism by absorbing ultraviolet radiation and potentially reducing the risks associated with sun exposure.