Competition Mode Question
Cooking teacher: Lima beans generally need about an hour of boiling to reach the proper degree of doneness. The precise amount of time it takes depends on size: larger beans require a longer cooking time than smaller beans do. It is important that lima beans not be overcooked since overcooking robs beans of many of their nutrients. Undercooking should also be avoided, since undercooked beans cannot be completely digested.
If the statements above are true, they most strongly support which one of the following?
(A) Lima beans that are completely digestible have lost many of their nutrients in cooking.
(B) The nutrients that are lost when lima beans are overcooked are the same as those that the body fails to assimilate when lima beans are not completely digested.
(C) Large lima beans, even when fully cooked, are more difficult to digest than small lima beans.
(D) Lima beans that are added to the pot together should be as close to the same size as possible if they are to yield their full nutritional value.
(E) From the standpoint of good nutrition, it is better to overcook than to undercook lima beans.