Do you ever yearn for a simple yet healthy meal at times? Well, getting your vegetables steamed is the way to go as it has been established to be the best method of cooking that retains most vitamins and mineral salt. The good thing about steaming is that it requires minimal preparation and can come together quickly at your convenience. From 20 to 50 percent of the vitamins, minerals and healthy plant matter can go down the drain with used water if the vegetables are boiled, while steaming, one is able to reduce this loss by half. For this process to happen, what is required is one to have steam pots or steamers. Retains most vitamins and mineral salts A 2012 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that steaming the veggies preserves myrosinase and therefore retains the cancer-fighting compounds found in them. Joseph Uwiragiye, head of nutrition Department at University Teaching Hospital (CHUK) says when steaming, it’s the heat of the steam that cooks the vegetables and they are spared from the boiling water. The goal of steaming, he says, is to cook the vegetables until they are no longer raw, but still bright and crisp. This preserves colour and flavour, and some of the nutrient content. “Steaming is usually done with little boiling water in a covered pot-a stainless steel pot. It’s best to get the water boiling before you place the vegetables in the pot. Its also essential to ensure its covered by a lid on top to trap heat and steam, this is where the vegetables are able to retain their healthy nutrients,” he says. He goes on to note that steaming softens vegetables while maintaining most of their nutrients, especially water-soluble compounds that are easily damaged by heat. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends steaming vegetables to make the most of their health benefits while preserving their low calorie and fat content. Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, which boosts immunity and contributes to the structural formation of connective tissues; and the B vitamins, which promote healthy neurological function and glucose metabolism, may degrade when they have direct contact with boiling water. However, it has been established that steaming results in lower losses of these water-soluble vitamins, according to the American Council on Exercise, or ACE. Research shows that cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and bok choi, retain more of their cancer-fighting compounds when you steam them at low temperatures with a small amount of water. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in glucosinolates, water-soluble compounds that inhibit tumour formation and prevent the cellular damage caused by carcinogenic toxins. How it should be done To preserve vitamin content, nutritionists advise that one should gently boil a small amount of water in the lower compartment of the steamer, then allow raw vegetables to cook until slightly softened. Vegetables should never have direct contact with the boiling water. Meanwhile, research has also shown that when steaming, it’s vital to use as little time as possible cooking vegetables. Get the water up to a boil first, whether you want to steam or simply boil the vegetables. Stir-frying and pan frying of vegetables should also be done as quickly as possible, which calls for a high temperature. The process requires no more than five minutes to steam thoroughly, monitoring the vegetables closely to make sure they dont overcook is important.
