Food finesse

Fortunately, nutrition experts know a few tricks to help you get the most nutrients out of your food.

Eggs

The process: Scrambling your eggs activates avidin, a protein that binds to biotin and renders it useless, said registered dietitian Robert Wildman. "Biotin is an important B vitamin that helps with energy support and thick, lustrous hair," he said.

The fix: Try poaching or boiling. Omelet lovers should know it's better to beat your eggs than to forgo them altogether. Eggs are a perfect source of protein and contain all nine essential amino acids. The yolk, by the way, is an important part of the package; it contains choline, a nutrient considered essential for cardiovascular and brain function as well as the health of cell membranes, nutrition expert Jonny Bowden wrote in "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" (Fair Winds Press, $24.99).

Garlic

The process: Penn State University researchers have shown that microwave heating or roasting garlic can diminish or destroy its anti-cancer activity. If garlic is processed or dried, meanwhile, it loses its ability to form hydrogen sulfide, a substance that relaxes blood vessels and may be good for the heart, according a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The fix: Eating garlic raw is best, but if you do need to cook your garlic, chop or crush it before hand and allow it to "stand for at least 10 minutes, said the Penn State researchers. This allows it to create hydrogen sulfide and helps create the compound allicin, which is thought to be responsible for many of garlic's health benefits.

Meat

The process: Frying, grilling or barbecuing meats at high temperatures can form carcinogens known as HCA's or heterocyclic amines. Some research has shown HCA's can cause genetic mutations in our cells that lead to the development of cancer. Scorching high fat meat carries another risk. "As the smoke rises, another class of carcinogenic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is deposited on meat, according to the American Institute of Cancer Research.