The Acidity of Ratatouille & Why Oven-Roasting is Like Drinking a Coke

May 3, 2006 | Posted by Allison as The Facts / History, Tid Bits & News at 10:00 am | Comments »

ratatouille BBC Teeth article acidity.jpg I came across an interesting cooking article on the BBC today. The article focused on one of my favorite foods, ratatouille and why the dish may be harmful to your pretty, white teeth.

“Cooking vegetables in different ways could cut down on tooth decay, scientists have claimed.
Certain methods of cooking them can make vegetables as acidic as fizzy drinks, according to a new study.

Researchers at Dundee’s dental school made the discovery while experimenting with the vegetarian dish ratatouille.

They found that, compared with stewing, oven-roasting significantly increased the acidity of vegetables such as green peppers, aubergines and courgettes.

Dr Graham Chadwick, who led the study, said its findings could be used by dentists when advising patients on ways to fight dental erosion.

The problem is caused by the direct contact of acid with the teeth, which destroys tooth tissues – leading to the need for expensive dental treatment.

Dr Chadwick said: “The acidity of ratatouille prepared by oven-roasting is the same as that of some carbonated drinks that, when consumed in excess, are believed to contribute to the development of dental erosion.”

The research, published in the European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry, came following claims that vegetarians are at higher risk of dental erosion because of the large quantity of naturally acidic fruit and vegetables they eat.

The researchers also found the cooking method had no impact on the acidity of tomatoes or onions, but roasting resulted in more acidic aubergines, green peppers and courgettes.

Red peppers, they also discovered, were more acidic when stewed.”

Hmmm, two of my fav dishes, roasted red peppers & ratatouille, bad for my pretty whites. I dunno. I just don’t think I can give them up.

So, with that stay tuned for the upcoming ‘I Just Can’t Live Without My Ratatouille Recipe’ post.

Eat well & Laugh often!

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