Nutrition: Is steaming best?

Is steaming a healthy alternative? According to the manufacturers, it is the healthiest form of cooking, allowing the nutritional qualities of food to be preserved as well as possible, as well as its taste. This is an argument that sells on the appliance shelves. A review of the scientific literature shows that steaming is the most popular cooking method to preserve the vitamins and antioxidant properties of vegetables, all without fat.

Several studies have focused on broccoli, a vegetable rich in antioxidants, and cardioprotective properties. The conclusion is indisputable: steaming best preserves these properties, but also the texture and flavor of the food.

Several elements distinguish it from other cooking methods. In the case of frying, the properties of the food are usually preserved, but with a lot of oil or butter. With cooking with water, soluble nutrients are extracted from the food and mixed with the water. They are therefore lost if the water is removed and not reintroduced into the dish as juice or to make a soup, for example. As for the grill, it allows us to obtain a particular and often appreciated taste, but substances appear during cooking which can be harmful to health, especially for meat and fish.

Varying the cooking modes

However, there is no ideal cooking process. All cooking methods, including steaming, induce chemical and physical changes in the food and transform its nutritional properties. For example, antioxidant levels may change favorably with steaming, but not other nutrients such as proteins, fatty acids, or vitamins.

The final composition of the food at the time of consumption will be different for each preparation method. However, steaming itself is declined in several modes: medium or very high heat, slow or fast cooking, steaming in the microwave in silicone containers, papillote in the oven, or on the barbecue ...

Knowing that heat degrades, for example, proteins, steaming at high temperatures, and over long periods will eventually alter the composition of the food. Thus, for certain foods such as thick vegetables, potatoes, or meats, steaming may be less interesting than quick frying. All the more so since in recent years lipids have been rehabilitated in food.

    Thank's you for reading this article.