Steaming food has several health benefits, such as helping with weight loss, lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, as well as preventing cardiovascular diseases.
This is because steam cooking preserves the nutrients in food, as well as avoiding adding salt or fats to its preparation, making it a perfect technique for those who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, constipation, anyone who wants to lose weight, or simply decided to improve their diet. and be healthier.
In addition to all the benefits, steam cooking is also very practical and can be cooked at the same time, cereals such as rice or quinoa, vegetables, meat, fish or chicken, for example.
Main benefits
The main benefits of steam cooking are:
1. Helps with weight loss
Steam cooking can help with weight loss, as it is not necessary to use olive oil, butter or cooking oil, reducing the number of calories in the meal, as well as increasing the feeling of satiety, due to the amount of fiber.
2. Regulates intestinal transit
Steam cooking maintains the quality of fiber in food, which is important for intestinal function, and in this way can help prevent or treat constipation.
3. Lower cholesterol
Steam cooking can help lower cholesterol, because it does not use any type of fat in preparing food, preventing the accumulation of bad cholesterol in the blood.
Furthermore, as the quality of fiber is maintained, fat from food is less absorbed by the intestines, and thus helps to lower cholesterol.
Read too: 8 tips to lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
4. Control high blood pressure
Steam cooking can also help control high blood pressure, because it is not necessary to use salt and other condiments rich in sodium, such as Worcestershire sauce or shoyu to flavor food, as steam maintains all the flavor of the food.
5. Prevents cardiovascular diseases
As it helps lower cholesterol and control blood pressure, steam cooking can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack or stroke.
6. Maintains the nutritional quality of the food
Steam cooking maintains the nutritional quality of food, preserving vitamins and minerals that could be lost when cooking in water, frying or sautéing. Also see how to cook food to maintain nutrients.
7. Facilitates digestion
Steamed foods are softer, but not mushy, and their fibers are preserved, which makes the food easier to digest.
8. Maintains the flavor of the food
Steam cooking also maintains the flavor, color and texture of the food, by preserving nutrients and fiber.
For this reason, steam cooking is a great way to encourage the intake of vegetables and fruits, by adults and children, and can even be done in a normal pan.
9. Increases quality of life
Steam cooking can increase the quality of life because it creates healthy eating habits, allowing you to prepare any food in a healthy way, such as vegetables, meat, fish, chicken, eggs, and even rice, preventing diseases related to poor diet.
How to steam cook
Some ways to steam cook are:
- With special basket for common pan: Place a grill at the bottom of a pan with about 2 cm of water, avoiding the food being in direct contact with the water. Then, cover the pan and heat it for the time required for each type of food;
- Stackable steam pans: put the water in the stackable pan container and the food in each pan and then place one pan on top of the other to cook several foods at the same time;
- Electric steam cooker: simply add water to the base of the pan and the food in the appropriate container, and connect the pan to the electricity, respecting the method of use and the cooking time of the food;
- In the microwave: use a container that can be placed in the microwave and cover with cling film, making small holes so that the steam can escape;
- With bamboo basket: Place the basket inside the wok, add the food to the basket, add about 2 cm of water to the wok, enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
Food must be properly cooked when soft. This way it is possible to cook several foods at the same time, making the most of their properties.
Watch the following video and see how to steam, as well as other very useful cooking tricks:
Tips on how to steam cook
To make food even more tasty and nutritious, aromatic herbs or spices can be added to the water, such as oregano, cumin or thyme, for example.
Furthermore, when steaming food, you should avoid adding excess water to the pan, and it is also important to keep the lid closed to allow for even cooking.
Another important tip is to always wash food correctly before preparing it. See how to wash food correctly.
To enjoy all the benefits of steamed food, you must follow a balanced, nutritious and diverse diet, preferably with guidance from a nutritionist, on an individual basis.
Make an appointment with a nutritionist in the region closest to you:
Taking care of your health has never been easier!
Steaming time
The time to steam cook varies depending on the food and steam cooking technique, as shown in the table below:
To make cooking food easier and reduce preparation time, it is recommended to cut it into small pieces.
