Is it better to eat steamed or boiled food?

One of the healthiest and most convenient cooking methods is steaming. This technique cooks food using the heat of steam. Specifically, the heat provided by the water accumulates on the top surface of the pot, gradually spreading downwards, so the food cooks from the top down.

This method not only preserves the flavor, texture, and nutrients of food but also offers more health benefits than boiling.

With steamed dishes, homemakers don't have to spend much time and can easily prepare cooking utensils, grills, or cooking oil. Steamers are also easier to clean than pots and pans used for frying, stir-frying, or stewing. This helps ensure much better hygiene and food safety.

On the other hand, steaming doesn't require the use of extra fat or oil like grilling or stir-frying, so it's healthier, the food's natural flavor isn't overpowered, and it's quite quick and convenient, without being complicated.

One of the healthiest and most convenient cooking methods is steaming. (Illustrative image)

With boiled dishes, food is placed in boiling water, causing vitamins and minerals to dissolve in the water, thus resulting in a significant loss of nutrients in the food.

When frying, food comes into contact with oil and grease, which can contribute to weight gain. In particular, animal-based foods, when grilled at high temperatures, undergo chemical changes, potentially forming carcinogenic substances, and are also more difficult to digest.

Overall, steaming is the best cooking method, preserving the maximum amount of nutrients, so you should eat it regularly.

The advantages of eating steamed food.

- Retains more nutrients: Steaming helps preserve nutrients in food because it cooks the ingredients in steam instead of boiling them in liquid. When boiling, water-soluble vitamins and minerals leach into the water, resulting in a significant loss of nutrients in the food.

- Enhancing natural flavors: Steaming is a great way to enhance the natural flavors in food. Unlike other cooking methods such as roasting, frying, and baking, steaming doesn't require the use of oil or other ingredients that can overpower the natural flavors of food.

- Minimizes impact on ingredients: Steaming is a gentle cooking technique. This is important because it prevents food from becoming tough or dry.

- Quick and convenient: With a few basic cooking utensils and some fresh or frozen ingredients, you can easily steam a delicious dish.

- A healthier alternative: If you're monitoring your fat or calorie intake, steaming may be a better cooking method as it doesn't require the use of added fat or oil.

Dr. Huynh Tan Vu (University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, Branch 3)

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