Does cooking vegetables affect carbs?

Cooking vegetables can indeed affect their carbohydrate content. When you cook vegetables, the heat ruptures cell walls, making the carbohydrates more accessible. This is particularly notable in green vegetables like spinach. For instance, Dr. Dominic D'Agostino explains that cooked spinach, despite appearing as a small portion, actually contains more accessible carbohydrates compared to raw spinach. This can impact dietary regimes like the ketogenic diet, where even minor increases in carbohydrate accessibility can be significant 1.

Additionally, Jay Feldman noted that while processing vegetables can make their nutrients more accessible, it can also reduce anti-nutrients, making them easier to digest. This points to a balance where cooking can both enhance the availability of carbohydrates and reduce certain compounds that may impair digestion 2.