Flavonoids are an antioxidant. Flavonoids are nutrients that are found in many vegetables, which include broccoli. Their health effects in our body help to protect cells from free radicals. Radicals are the unstable compounds that damage cells.
Steaming is one of the best ways to cook most vegetables, because keeping cooking time, temperature and minimum liquid added are the best cooking methods used in steaming. This is especially true when cooking with broccoli, which is one of the top anti-cancer foods.
Researchers found boiling or microwaving vegetables in water would cause the vegetables to lose their cancer-fighting antioxidants into the cooking water. Two studies show the same results. However, steaming them can preserve most of these valuable nutrients as well as antioxidants.
Some studies have compared the effects of different cooking methods to cook broccoli and other vegetables. The studies showed that:
Boiling: Cooking with boiling method led to a significant loss of polyphenol antioxidants by 38%. Boiling method leads to leach water soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C, B1 and folate into water.
Microwaving: Cooking the broccoli for 5 minutes with microwaving method, lost greatest nutrients. They lost 74% to 97% of antioxidants. Microwaving method is better than boiling method, because of usage of little to no water in cooking. So, microwaving preserves more nutrients while cooking vegetables.
Steaming: With this cooking method for 3.5 minutes, it only lost its minimal antioxidants by 0% to 11%. Some studies found the steaming method keeps the highest level of nutrients, and increased polyphenol content by 52%.
Steaming is healthier way to prepare vegetables than other methods. According to a researcher from Murcia, Spain: “Most of the bioactive compounds are water soluble; during heating they leak in a high percentage into the cooking water, reducing their nutritional benefits in the foodstuff”. Therefore, it is recommended to cook vegetables in the minimum amount of water to retain their health benefits.
There are some health benefits of a steamed food:
- Preserves the nutritional value of food
- Oil is not required, and it is heart-healthy
- Conserves cancer-fighting compounds
- Lowers cholesterol
- Quicker to cook and save on energy costs and more eco-friendly way to cook
- Suitable to cook with most of vegetable and foods
- Keeps kitchen clean
Another study, researchers conducted the effects of blanching. They found blanching of vegetables before freezing them would lose up to 1/3 of their antioxidants, including vitamin C and folic acid. A slight additional loss was found even during the freezer storage.
It seems that one universal suggestion with dietary advice is eat more vegetables. Steaming foods, on the other hand, are better in tasting, better in looking, tender in texture, easy to digest, locking in flavor, and richer in nutrients. So, for your and your family’s health, why not trying to steaming up your veggies.
Reference:
- WebMD Hot Water Kills Broccoli’s Benefits https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20031029/hot-water-kills-broccoli
- BBC good food: How do I prep vegetables for steaming? https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-steam-vegetables
- Runner’s World: Why You Should Start Steaming Your Vegetables More Often According to an R.D. https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a37692093/benefits-of-steaming-vegetables/
- CNN health: The healthiest ways to cook veggies and boost nutrition https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/05/health/healthy-vegetable-cooking
- Balance Nutrition: HEALTH BENEFITS OF STEAMED FOODS & METHOD OF STEAMING https://www.balancenutrition.in/blog/health-reads/diet-and-nutrition/health-benefits-of-steamed-foods-method-of-steaming
- Faithful to Nature: Top Benefits of Steaming Your Own Food https://www.faithful-to-nature.co.za/blog/top-benefits-of-steaming-your-own-food/
