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As much as we fancy a healthy diet, the key to getting the best of all we eat lies in our cooking style as well. Steam cooking can be quite an underrated style of making food. The rationale behind switching to this medium of cooking is that it maintains the nutritional value of the food being cooked. Also, it is easy to perform.
What is steaming?
It is a technique of cooking where hot steam is used to direct heat into the food. This simply implies that food is not cooked with the help of either water, as in the case of boiling or cooking oils and fats, as in the case of frying. A steamer is vital cooking equipment in which steaming of food takes place. Since this process involves no use of oil, it is considered a healthy alternative to traditional cooking. A steamer is usually a locked vessel that contains water in its lower part, while the upper part is where the food is kept for steaming.
Reasons why steam cooking food is the healthiest
In her recent Instagram reel, well-known nutrition expert Pooja Makhija shared why steamed food is the healthiest. “Cooking with steam is both versatile and healthy,” she writes.
Check out the reel!
Here are reasons to convince you to try steam cooking!
1. Keeps the vitamins and minerals intact
The conventional methods of cooking such as frying or boiling help very little in maintaining the nutritional quality of the food. The process of steaming retains the essential vitamins and minerals found in vegetables. Steaming further amplifies the power of certain vitamins like Vitamin B, thiamine, niacin, and Vitamin C. Also, some minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and zinc remain intact.
2. Requires no use of oil
The method of steaming, as the name suggests, uses just steam to cook food without the need for oil, something that is a staple for frying. Food prepared through steaming is low in terms of fat content than the food cooking using oil, therefore becoming a win-win for anyone eyeing weight loss!
3. Makes the food easy to digest
The process of steaming renders the cooked vegetables and fruits soft, leaving them easily digestible for your body. This way, your body can relish all the nutritional goodness seamlessly.
4. A versatile option that allows easy wash-up
The major upside to the process of steaming is that many vegetables can be steamed at the same time without any transfer of flavour. Like regular cooking in oil or water, steamed vessels are easy to clean because there are no sticky substances left that need to be scrubbed away.
5. Helps keep cholesterol in check
Cooking food with the help of the steaming method keeps cholesterol under check. This is so because there is no use of oil while cooking. The food is prepared purely with the help of steam. Since the steaming method keeps the use of oil out of the picture, one gets refrained from consuming added fat or saturated oils that lead to high BP and cholesterol.
We gave you enough reasons to switch to this method of cooking. Start steaming your food to get the best of your vegetables and fruits.
