Long story short--I hate all veggies/fruits (except taters and tomato sauce).
If I cook with veggies in my dish (such as soup or stew) but don't EAT the veggies, how much of the nutrients have transferred to the bulk of the dish (meaning, if I made chicken soup wtih carrots in it, how much of the carrots nutritional value has been cooked out of the carrot and into the chicken broth)? I am hoping that by doing some dishes this way, I can get used to the FLAVOR of veggies, and then work my way up to eating them. Maybe eating lots of soup with teensy-tiny pieces of veggies and downing them like pills.
Any help is appreciated!

I don't know that any nutrients are retained by just cooking with the veggies - probably just trace amounts. If the sight of vegetables is too much, try pureeing them for sauces and in soups.

I find many veggies, like carrots, much easier to eat raw. Cooked carrots gross me out. The texture and flavor are just ruined for me. Raw carrots, though, are something I could just go to the fridge and snack on. I also like raw broccoli and cauliflower but don't really care for them cooked either (again, a taste and texture thing). The broccoli and cauliflower are good dipped in a low-fat dressing, or even some salsa. Raw celery and cucumber also are good with salsa.

I agree--I hardly like ANY veggies at all! I don't think, though, that any of the nutrients are retained just by cooking with veggies--nutrients don't really transfer by association, and any nutrients perhaps derived from the juices in the vegtables are likely negligible.

That said, I am 23 and eat almost no veggies. I NEVER have. I have tried them raw, cooked, in soups, on sandwiches, all kinds of ways--I just don't like 'em! However, the way I see it, I have lived 23 years without eating enough veggies and have been just fine. I had blood work done about a year ago and have never had a doctor tell me to eat more veggies. As long as you're getting enough fiber and nutrients from other sources, I wouldn't worry about forcing yourself to eat things you don't like. For me, forcing was anti-productive--I would force myself to eat a whole cup of broccoli (or whatever veggie of the day), and then I would "reward" myself with something yummy to get rid of the icky veggie taste (ice cream, cupcakes, chips...)

I feel the same way about veggies as I do about beer (which I also don't like)--I don't feel I should ever have to "acquire" a taste for anything. If I don't like it, I'm not going to keep forcing myself to try it! (I have been told by both beer-drinkers and veggie-eaters that I need to "acquire" a taste for both...not gonna happen!)

I'm the same way with fruit. I just don't like it much. I love most all veggies, but when it comes to fruit, you can have it.

I *do* like berries and sometimes throw them onto my oatmeal, but that only happens... well, rarely.

I hear people say so often, "Eat more fruit! Eat more fruit!"

Pooey. Don't wanna.

I chop them in the chopper really fine and hide them in my sauces and casseroles for my boys.

Well shoot, are you all sure that no nutrients get into the soup? I was hoping that I was getting some vegetable goodness that way too.

Darn it, why can't there be an easy way?

cheers, cj

Cooking for long periods usually depletes the vitamins and goodness in veggies. I thought I didnt like many veggies until I started trying different recipes for them. I made a Vegan Spinach Artichoke dip with spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, veggie broth, and some nutritional yeast. With crackers its sooo good. I also thought I hated tomatoes but I actually like them. Now I wonder why I thought I hated them when I eat tomato sauce all the time. Its a good idea to get a food proccessor and chop or puree them since you cant taste the texture as much. Get a lot of spices too.

^ she's right. Cooking green leafy veggies and a few others with lycopene or carotene w=for a long time will eventually transfer some vitamins, although if you dont eat the veggie, you don't get its FIBER.

I can do a handful of vegetables, but it took a lot of culinary experimentation to get there. I can eat a lot of vegetables in my husband's minestrone soup because he never told me they were there ( cooked down so much) that I never thought about it. If you feel adventerous, go for it, but like someone said, don't force yourself. I've tried to eat tomatoes numerous times for the health benefit, but I just can't do it.

I, too, believe that acquiring a taste for something is bs. If you drop an anvil on your foot and it hurts, does that mean your going to do it again and again until you get used to it? No. Bad analogy, but for me, anvils are equal to tomatoes.