Frying and steaming are two of the most popular methods of cooking. In fact, each of which has its own advantage.
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
However, there is something about steaming that makes it healthier than frying. Do you want to know what it is? If so, read on.
Here are the top 5 reasons why steamed food is healthier than fried food.
Most minerals and vitamins found in foods, especially veggies, are lost with conventional cooking methods like frying.
When you fry veggies, you’re actually increasing the possibilities of fat-soluble vitamins leaking towards the surrounding oil molecules. Having said that, nutrients such as vitamins E, A, D, and K and typically lessened once fried vegetables end up on the plate.
But with steaming, it makes sure that minerals like zinc, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, as well as vitamins like vitamin B12, vitamin B, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine, are retained.
Nevertheless, if you have decided to start steaming your vegetables, you may want to invest in the best vegetable steamers. This will allow you to steam your food with ease while ensuring that the minerals and vitamins stay.
#2 Low Cholesterol
Steam foods don’t contain fat from proteins such as fish and chicken, which reduces the cholesterol you will intake. Also, steamed food does not require oil. Thus, this instantly reduces the saturated fat or other additional fats in the fat.
Typically, one tablespoon of vegetable oil has 14g of fat and 120 calories. So, with steaming, you will not feel anxious about these additional numbers.
Fried foods, on the other hand, deep-fried meats are rich in cholesterol, and if possible, make sure to avoid them. The reason behind it is that such foods are packed with calories and have trans fats that can be very dangerous to your health.
Additionally, high consumption of fried foods has been associated with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
#3 Digestible
Fried foods don’t only add to your pounds, but they are also difficult to digest. Since your body will surely find it difficult to digest, they tend to move through your intestines with being crashed. Please note, this may result in bloating and diarrhea.
The fiber present in the majority of fried foods is relatively high, and this actually makes them difficult to digest. But with steaming, the fibers found in fruits and veggies will be softened. And this makes steamed foods easier to digest. As a result, your body will be able to absorb all nutritional goodness with ease.
#4 Reduced The Risk Of Cancer
When you cook starchy foods at a high temperature, a compound known as acrylamide is made. This happens not just when frying but also toasting, baking, and roasting. Fried starchy foods are packed with acrylamide that can damage DNA while inducing cell death or apoptosis.
Eating lots of fried foods may increase the risk for obesity and type-2 diabetes. Such conditions can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, further increasing the risk of cancer. But with steamed foods, this is less likely to happen.
Cooking your food at low temperatures doesn’t eliminate the glucosinolates in your foods, a chemical component found in broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Such foods come with anti-cancer properties, and they’re destroyed when fried at high temperatures.
#5 Steamed Foods Contain Lower Sodium
Typically, frying involves coating the meats in seasonings and breadcrumbs before cooking. Most of the time, dry-rubs and batter have high amounts of sodium that can increase the risk of stroke or heart disease, and blood pressure.
Since steaming only needs water, eating steamed food may lower your sodium consumption. What’s more, it will reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.
Conclusion
When it comes to nutrition and diet, often, it is not only about using healthy ingredients. In fact, it is also about how you cook the ingredients that bring the most remarkable health benefits.
Nevertheless, with the information provided above, it is safe to say steamed foods are healthier compared to their fried counterparts.
So, if you’re someone who isn’t considering this cooking method, make sure to try it now especially if you want to retain the minerals and vitamins in your food. You can start this by buying a metal or bamboo steamer. Once you have the steamer, you can steam whatever food you want.
Hopefully, you find this article helpful. If you also want to share good words about the benefits of steaming, don’t hesitate to share with others.
Related Posts:
