The ICC World Cup 2023 between the Indian and Australian Cricket Team is on the horizon, and cricket fervour is taking over the world by storm. In this scenario, Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team recently gave an interview discussing his fitness and diet habits. He shared that 90% of what he eats is either steamed or boiled, mainly because he wants to train his mind to choose nutrition over taste, and hence stay away from junk food.
To understand the health benefits of a diet that is mostly made up of steamed and boiled food, the team of OnlyMyHealth spoke to K Sowmya, Senior Dietician, Apollo Hospitals, Secunderabad.
Health Benefits Of Steamed, Boiled Food
A study published in Springer’s Food Science And Technology stated that different cooking methods need not have the same effect on different vegetables. So, boiling and steaming need not be the best option for all vegetables. But there are vegetables in which boiling can increase the nutrient profile of certain foods.
K Sowmya said, “Each vegetable may have a cooking method which retains their maximum nutritional quality. Steamed or boiled food preserves the antioxidants present in the food, especially carotenoids, polyphenols, and glucosinolates.”
She added, “Boiling vegetables for a long duration, that is more than 30 minutes, can reduce their flavonoids, which help in reducing the risk of cancers.”
Also Read: Want To Know How Virat Kohli Keeps Himself Fit and Fab? Here Are His Workout Secrets
She listed a few vegetables that are much healthier when consumed boiled or steamed:
- Vegetables like carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and sweet potatoes retain their Vitamin C levels when cooked. Infact, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health shared that sweet potatoes become a nutritional powerhouse of Vitamin C when boiled.
- Certain nutrients like quercetin, folate, and the total antioxidant capacity of vegetables like potatoes, onions, and broccoli are retained with cooking methods like steaming.
- Cooking or boiling peas and beans in water improves the protein quality, and their texture, and also reduces the vegetables’ anti nutritional properties.
- Cooking peas and beans also helps to reduce their properties that cause gastric issues.
- Boiling beans also increases its iron content.
- Boiling and steaming also reduces the risk of food contamination especially in eggs, meats and green leafy vegetables.
- According to a study conducted by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, Japan, boiling spinach supports bone health, and prevents kidney stones, and anaemia.
- Resistant starches of vegetables act as prebiotic foods which improve the gut microbiome. This resistant starch when cooked becomes better to consume than raw and maximises the health benefits.
K Sowmya concluded on the note that while boiling and steaming may not be the best option for all fruits, legumes, and vegetables, these above-mentioned foods can definitely benefit from these cooking methods. She advised that when boiling foods, keep in mind that long duration cooking can reduce their nutritional value. So, cooking till the right temperature is very important to retain maximum nutrients.
