I was always under the impression raw vegetables had more nutritive value than cooked vegetables, and that may be true overall. But according to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, cooked vegetables supply more antioxidants such as carotenoids and ferulic acid than when raw as long as they’re boiled or steamed — it seems boiling and steaming preserves antioxidants in carrots, zucchini and broccoli.
In a separate study, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found increased beta-carotene levels in cooked carrots as opposed to raw. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which plays an important role in vision, reproduction, bone growth and regulating the immune system.