Why does boiling water destroy the health benefits of certain foods (eg: honey/matcha) but not all food? How can you tell what not to use boiling water with?
In: Chemistry
It’s all about heat and protein structure. Heat denatures proteins. What temperature depends on which proteins. Denature means to alter its 3D structure to the point that it no longer functions as it did. When you cook meat, you change the proteins, making them soft and easy to eat. When you burn your finger, the skin blisters and you lose sensation. This is denaturing of proteins.
Some proteins cope with heat. Organisms living around deep sea volcanic vents (thermophiles) have evolved to have enzymes that survive high temperatures.
So some foods have proteins that denature at low temperatures, some at higher temperatures.
At some post, all enzymes will become denatured, it just depends when that will be.
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