The University of California, Berkely - Wellness Letter for March 2008 says,

    "Cooking vegetables boosts levels of some antioxidents, according to new Italian research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the latest in a series of studies overturning conventional wisdom about the nutritional superiority of raw produce. The study looked at carrots, zuchini and broccoli, which were boiled, steamed or fried. Boiling and steaming were best at preserving carotenoids or even boosting them, while frying caused the greatest losses, though the results varied among the vegetables. For broccoli, steaming increased a variety of potentially anti-cancer phytochemicals. Cooking helps soften fiber, making certain compounds more extractable and it also converts some of them to more active forms. Cooking does reduce some vitamins and phytochemicals, however, so do not overcook."

This gets added to the  old news about cooked tomatoes being better for the human male than raw ones.  It's not likely to change any eating habits, but we can feel okay about cooking these vegetables - One inherent drawback to cooking vegetables is the inability to play a play a tune on a steamed head of broccoli.

The letter also insists that no one will miss salt in their food if they just unlearn their acquired taste. I am sure that's true, but it is hard for me to imagine red meat with out salt - or eggs, or anything actually. Often, I cook without salt, but reach for it at the table. It's an annoying trend in many high end restaurants to find that there is no salt or pepper on the table. Sometime the artists in the kitchen doesn't want the seasoning to be altered by meddling patrons, but stil it's going some to make that statement ... "it is what it is, eat the way I made it - no salt for you".

It has encouraged me, however, to always taste first and then - maybe - ask for the salt or in some extreme cases the Tabasco, the A-1 or the check.