Which cooking method is best for retaining nutrients?
Steaming is one of the best cooking methods for preserving nutrients, including water-soluble vitamins.
Researchers found steaming kept the highest level of nutrients. “Boiling vegetables causes water soluble vitamins like vitamin C, B1 and folate to leach into the water,” Magee said.
Rice and the absorption method
This is the best method for retaining rice's nutrients. Place rice in a saucepan, and add water to 2.5cm above the rice (this is the distance between the top of the rice and the first joint of an average adult finger).
Panfrying and Stir-Frying
Although these methods use high heat, cooking times are very short, which helps maintain tender meat with good flavor. These cooking techniques also promote the retention of nutrients and are less likely than many other methods to cause the cholesterol in fatty meats to become oxidized.
Steaming and Boiling
Moist-heat cooking methods, such as boiling and steaming, are the healthiest ways to prepare meats and produce because they're done at lower temperatures.
Steaming, poaching, simmering, and boiling are common methods under this type of cooking. Steaming: Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer. Steaming is a delicate process and so it is ideal for baby carrots, green beans, cubed zucchini, and delicate greens.
The steaming method does not require cooking with oil therefore it avoids producing unwanted fats. The resulting dishes are very light, healthier and gentle on the palate. When cooking fish and chicken, the steam dissolves the fat, making food lower in calories and more easily digestible.
Since vegetables don't come in contact with cooking water during steaming, more vitamins are retained. Dry cooking methods such as grilling, roasting and stir-frying also retain a greater amount of nutrients than boiling.
- Try different ways of cooking vegetables like sautéing, steaming or baking. Try this vegetable stir fry or broiled asparagus.
- Use very small amounts of water and low heat when cooking. Soups and stews are a good way to retain nutrients that are usually lost in cooking water.
Healthy Cooking On A Regular Basis Can Help Prevent Chronic Illnesses. the bones and organs, and depriving the body of essential nutrients. Such effects automatically put you at an increased risk of health problems including type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and more.
Why is boiling a healthy method of cooking?
Boiling makes grains, beans and starchy vegetables palatable and edible by breaking them down and making them soft. Nutrition: Boiling is the best way to make delicious and highly nutritious stocks out of meat and vegetables.
Some suggestions to retain the maximum nutrition in the foods you cook include: Store foods properly, such as keeping cold foods cold and sealing some foods in airtight containers. Keep vegetables in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Try washing or scrubbing vegetables rather than peeling them.
Grilling, roasting, baking, broiling, steaming, press cooking and slow cooking are some of the healthiest ways to cook meat. And yes, you should avoid deep-frying it. “Avoid marinades and sauces that are high in sugar and sodium,” she adds.
To cook collard greens the healthy way, do not boil them – just saute them in a pan. This way, no nutrients are lost during cooking.