Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 25 Dec 2024
Steamed or Boiled Vegetables: Which Ones You Should Eat for Better Health?
Even though eating vegetables is among the most important things, the way you cook vegetables also matters
Vegetables are among the healthiest foods that you should and must eat daily, according to experts. Loaded with protective plant compounds, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, vegetables have several benefits—right helping with weight loss, increasing immunity levels, and lowering the risk of conditions like heart disease and certain cancers.
Even though eating vegetables is among the most important things, the way you cook vegetables also matters. Nutritionists say methods like boiling can cause a loss of water-soluble nutrients, while steaming results in higher concentrations of some vitamins and plant compounds.
How does steaming affect vegetables?
Steaming uses hot steam from simmering or boiling water to cook food. When you boil water, it vaporises into steam, which then travels to the food above, transferring heat to the food and cooking it. While there are many ways to steam food, steamer baskets—perforated metal baskets that hold food above boiling water—are among the most popular methods.
Since you do not involve submerging food in water, fewer nutrients get lost.
Does boiling deplete the nutrition in vegetables?
Experts say boiling causes water-soluble nutrients in vegetables, like vitamin C, to leach into the water while cooking, resulting in lower nutrient levels. According to studies, vegetables cooked by steaming have higher levels of some vitamins and plant compounds, including beta-carotene, flavonoids, and antioxidants, as compared to boiling.
Experts say even though steaming leads to vitamin C loss, it is still a better option than boiling. According to a study, the loss of vitamin C after five minutes of steaming vegetables is 14.3–8.6 per cent, while the loss of vitamin C after five minutes of boiling can be 54.6-40.4 per cent.
Which are the best ways to steam vegetables?
Even though steaming is among the best ways to retain the nutrition and flavour of your favourite vegetables, it is also important not to over- or under-steam them. A few ways you can ensure to do that are:
Broccoli: 5 minutes
Cauliflower: 5-6 minutes
Beans: 4-5 minutes
Spinach: 3 minutes
Peas: 3 minutes
Potatoes: 15-20 minutes
When steaming vegetables, make sure to check for tenderness using a fork or toothpick throughout the cooking process to ensure your vegetables come out just the way you like them. A few steps to steam vegetables are:
- Fill the bottom of a pot or saucepan with 1-2 inches of water
- Bring the water to a boil
- Place the steamer basket into the top of the saucepan or pot
- Fill the steamer basket with your prepared vegetables
- Cover the steamer basket with a lid and reduce the heat to medium
- Steam your food, checking it every few minutes until it's cooked to your preference
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