Research appearing in the International Journal of Food and Scientific Nutrition  (2002; 53(3):197-208) took a look at the levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine (vitamin B1) and beta-carotene of 263 cooked food samples and 260 meals to see the vitamin content of cooked and of processed, ready-to-eat foods. Bakery goods and sweets were, of course, found to be poor sources of these vitamins. Fresh vegetables were an excellent source of these vitamins. The differences between ready-to-eat foods and meals consumed during lunch or dinner were prominent for beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, riboflavin and folic acid. The cooking losses were 34.6% for ascorbic acid, 30% for thiamine, 52.2% for riboflavin, 45.9% for beta-carotene and 32.2% for folic acid. The researchers recommend eating additional fresh vegetables if you consume a lot of baked goods and ready-to-eat foods. These vitamins protect from cancer, are antioxidant (in the case of vitamin C and beta carotene) and are important for the healthy function of the body. Eating prepared and processed foods cheats of these important nutrients.