Why we cook food

We cook food in a number different ways and the different methods we use changes our food in different ways such as the appearance of our food, the texture, the smell, the flavour and the nutritive value of our food.

One of the main reasons we cook food is to make it safe to eat. Foods such as meat and eggs contain harmful bacteria that will make us ill if we eat these foods raw, fortunately cooking these foods at a high temperature for the right length of time kills of these bacteria.

Some foods such as red kidney beans have to be soaked boiled and simmered before they are safe to eat as they contain harmful toxins that are only destroyed once cooked.

We also cook food to improve its shelf life as when we cook at high temperatures bacteria and mould are destroyed so food can be preserved during the manufacturing process. Pasteurising milk (the process of heating to a high temperature and cooling) helps milk stay fresher for longer.

We also cook food to develop flavours as chemical reactions happen during the cooking process that changes the flavour of food. When we fry onions they become sweeter as caramelisation occurs. Roasting meats and vegetables creates more intense flavours as food becomes browner and crispier with more fat added to it as the water evaporates from inside the food. Cooking can also allow flavours of different food to combine.

Cooking food also allows us to improve the foods texture, it can make it easier to chew, swallow and digest as some foods become softer when they are cooked such as carrots and broccoli. Foods like pasta and rice swell up as their starch molecules soften. Meats become tender as fats melt and proteins soften. Other foods firm up when cooked such as eggs which like meat can become too tough if overcooked. A change in texture can make foods more pleasant to eat such as baked bread.

We also cook food in different ways to create variety. Chicken can be grilled, roasted, stewed, pan-fried, made into soup and barbecued for example.

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