Best Way To Cook Veggies, Steamed Vs Boiled Which is Healthier

steaming vegetables

Vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals and they are very low in calories. Most nutritionists recommend that each day, you have between 2 ½ and 6 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables each day. If you are on a diet or if you are trying to eat right, you should start adding more vegetables to your diet. You can add vegetables to every meal. You can put them in your omelet in the morning for breakfast, you can have a salad for lunch, and you can add vegetables as a side dish to your dinner. There are plenty of ways that vegetables can be incorporated into every meal of the day. The way to eat your vegetables where you don’t lose any of the vitamins and minerals is by eating them raw, however, if you want to cook your vegetables, you should know how. The two most common methods of preparing vegetables are boiling and steaming. If you are going to start adding more vegetables to your diet, you should know which method is the healthiest and also, the pros and cons of each.

Boiling Vegetables
Boiling vegetables is the most common method of cooking them. People often boil vegetables because it is simple. You prepare your vegetables by peeling them and cutting them and put them in a pot of water. You would turn the burner on high and boil the vegetables until they are tender. As the vegetable boil, you can lose some of the vitamins and the nutrients in the cooking water. The longer you allow the vegetables to boil, the more nutrients will escape. If you are making a stew or a soup, the nutrients won’t be lost as quickly as if you were just boiling the vegetables in water. If you overcook your vegetables, you can dull the color of the vegetable as well as the flavor.

Steaming Vegetables
When it comes to steaming your vegetables, there are a few ways that you can do it. The most common are with a vegetable steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, you can use a pot as long as it has a lid that fits on properly. Fill the pot with just enough water so that it is covering the bottom of the pan only. Next, add the vegetable and put the lid on. Cook your vegetables on high. After you hear the water boiling, you should remove the pan from the burner. When the water starts to boil, it will create steam which will cook the vegetables. You can also steam your vegetables in the microwave. Pour enough water in a microwave safe bowl and add the vegetables. Put the lid on and cook for about 3 minutes. This will steam your vegetables completely. When you steam your vegetables they won’t be in boiling water. This will allow them to keep most of the nutrients. You can also purchase frozen vegetables that can be steamed right in the bag. Unfortunately, any method that you use to cook your vegetables lose a little bit of the nutrients, but not as much. Steaming the vegetables also keeps them crispier and more flavorful.

Which Nutrients are Lost and Gained While Cooking Vegetables?
If you are going to be cooking your vegetables, there are certain nutrients that are released, so that when you eat them, you get more than if you were eating them raw. These include antioxidants such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid. If you want to load up on antioxidants, you should either steam or boil your vegetables. While you can gain some nutrients when you cook your vegetables you can lose some. The nutrients that are most commonly lost while cooking vegetables are vitamin B and vitamin C.

If you want to know the best way to cook veggies and you are debating steamed vs boiled, steamed is the healthier alternative. Steaming the vegetable will also make them taste better and they will look more appetizing. If you are eating carrots, broccoli, and pepper, for example, you want the to keep the bright and vibrant color. Steaming will help you to keep these colors in your vegetables, bringing color and life to your plate.

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