Why Should You Consider Eating Steamed Vegetables?
Every time we go shopping, we pile our cart with fresh green produce as we all know that vegetables are good for us. But are you sure you’re getting the most out of your nutrient-packed vegetables or that killer kale salad you eat? In order to avail the most out of these greens, you must know the right prepping method too.
There are various ways in which you can cook vegetables - seasoning, frying, searing, shriveling, roasting, and grilling - the culinary art sees no end. Still, most dietitians and experts agree unanimously that the healthiest way to cook vegetables is to ‘steam’ them. Want to know why it is a healthier option? Read on.
Benefits of steaming veggies
If you desire to eat dark green cruciferous veggies then prefer steaming it with a small amount of water under low flame, instead of frying them or even boiling. Here are the reasons why you should do this:
- Steaming helps retain taste, fiber, color, and nutrients of the vegetables
- Antioxidants remain preserved in the veggies if steamed
- Steaming breaks down certain nutritional substances in vegetables, and help our body to easily digest these valuable nutrients
- Steaming helps preserve the high content of Carotenoids (the cancer-fighting compounds found in the dark green veggies)
- Steaming doesn’t reduce the folate and Vitamin C content from most of the dark green vegetables like broccoli or spinach
- Steaming maintains the greenness (chlorophyll content) of the vegetables like broccoli and kale.
- Steamed vegetables are also devoid of bacteria and disease-causing germs, as the steaming process kills most of the harmful microbes present in the raw vegetables, without depleting its nutritional content.
Prepping tips to limit nutrient loss
Follow these simple tips to limit nutrient loss from your vegetables:
- Wash vegetables before you cut them.
- Leave the peel on, and prefer cutting them in large and uniformly-sized pieces.
- Steam them as soon as you cut them.
- After steaming, serve the vegetables tossed with a small amount of fat, otherwise, your body won't be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K from veggies.
- Spice up the vegetables that contain iron, such as broccoli, kale, or spinach with a small amount of lemon or any citrus juice so as to help your body absorb this iron better.
With the benefits mentioned above, you’ll also find steaming vegetables the easiest way to cook - no smoke, no grease, and no sticky mess. So whether you are a dilettante to the culinary arts or a health food junkie, you now know how to cook and eat your veggies - just steam it!
If you want to know anything related to the nutritional value of foods and how to attain its optimum benefits, you can consult a Dietician at www.healthcaremagic.com
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