Steaming Veggies Vs. Boiling?

Question

I heard that steaming veggies is healthier and less calories. Why is that? I don't understand why the same vegetable can get more calories when cooked a different way.

Answer 1

When you boil veggies you boil out a lot of the vitamin/nutrient content.

Using less water like when you steam allows the nutrients to remain in the veggies and get consumed!

Answer 2

if you add some kind of oil to the water you are boiling with they will get the calories extra, besides that water has no calorie value so veggies will not get calories form it.
Now it is said that if you steam veggies is better, healthier cause the nutritional content, minerals, vitamins etc will stay put within the veggies instead of going into the water you are boiling with

Answer 3

Steaming a vegetable cooks it without leeching out the vitamins. Boiling it allows the nutrients and vitamins to run out into the boiling water where they are discarded.

If you use a different method to cook something it can add things to the food. For example, deep frying chicken adds quite a bit of fat compared to barbecuing. So it depends on what all you add while you're cooking.

Answer 4

The calories do not go up when boiling. The nutritional value definately goes down though. The steaming does not allow the water to soak through and rinse out the enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Yes steaming is always better.

Answer 5

Steaming vegetables is healthier because you're not boiling out all the nutrients - since steaming is hotter, and therefore faster.

I don't think there's any caloric difference, unless you use oil or butter in the water, or in a sauce.

Answer 6

I tend to boil the veggies and store the water in freezer to use later in gravies or soups.

Don't think that ALL the nutrients leech out in the boiling process. I'm 49, fit and healthy.

Answer 7

I want boiling to steaming corn, yet once you get the prospect ... do your self a prefer and verify out grilling it. be confident to soak in salt water for a pair of hours and grill till the husk is charred. you will no longer want the boiled vs. steamed debate ever lower back! Microwaving on the cobb is a effective option too!

Answer 8

boiling takes nutrients out of the veggie and in the water

Answer 9

I doubt that there are less calories, but they will be more nutrition , and they hopefully won't be cooked to mush.