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To Boil or Steam That is the Question

One of the best ways to cook foods to keep them healthy and tasty is with water. Water boils or steams foods to help enhance their flavors and health values. With boiling and steaming no fats, oils or grease is incorporated into the food which is always a plus when it comes to cooking. Vegetables are the main foods that we cook this way but vegetables are just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the foods that can be cooked in water.


To Boil or Steam That is the Question

Is Boiling the Answer?

Boiling is a very unique effective way of cooking. Though it is similar to steaming they do have differences. Unlike steaming, boiling requires the food to actually sit in the water. You can boil vegetables, meats and seafood. Basically all the things you can steam, but the taste and health values will change.

Boiling or cooking food directly in the water gives the nutrients a chance to move from the food to the water. It also doesn’t spice up the food nor does it give it that appetizing color that foods get from grilling or baking. Boiled foods don’t have a lot of flavor because the flavor is being soaked in water. This process is known as blanching.

Yet there are many pros to boiling foods. There no added fats. It's easy and doesn’t require hovering over the stove for hours. It’s perfect for large scale cook and it makes those cheaper cuts or tough cuts of meat a much tastier.

So What About Steaming?

Steaming is when you boil water causing it to evaporate into a fine mist. The actual steam is what cooks the food. For those who are watching there calories and fats, steaming is a very effective way to cook food and make it healthy. Steaming keeps food in it original form without having to add anything extra. One Important factor to remember is that the food isn’t submerged in the water. The food is suspended over the top the water letting the steam rise up to cook the food.

Steaming has its ups and downs though. Let’s talk about some of those ups. Steaming means you are basically eliminating the opportunity to over cook the food. This is because steaming cooks slowly. If you happen to leave food in there longer than need be don’t worry. Steam doesn’t have the cooking power to over cook the food. Steaming uses a lot more energy than any other cooking method. If steam is cooking the food it must stay at a constant stable temperature to cook through.

Steaming is usually used to cook vegetables, but some meats may also be steamed. Beef, pork and even chicken can be steamed. It gives it a very different taste that some may not like.

Seafood is a very common food to be steamed. Fish does very well and even shrimp taste wonderful.

To answer the question boiling or steaming are a great way to cook. There are many benefits to both and those benefits out weigh the down side of this type of cooking. Grab a steamer or fill a pot with some water and start it boiling then see for you just how great this type of cooking can be.


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