visit www.dietherapy247.com/2016/04/26/best-method-of-cooking-vegetables/ for more of this.

Vegetables no doubt are nutrient dense as they are endowed with nutrients such as potassium,fiber, folic acid, vitamins and in addition phytochemicals. These nutrients they contain are responsible for the health benefits in consuming them. Potassium for instance widens the blood vessels for easy blood flow,fibre which aids digestion, folic acid which helps in the formation of red blood cells of which this is the main reason pregnant women are advised to consume more of it in the first trimester of their pregnancy {prevents neural tube defects which leads to poor brain development and paralysis of a limb in children) and vitamin C the powerhouse of the human immune system.

Vegetables although nutrient dense but the amount available to the consumer is determined by the method of cooking used. Vegetables are better taken raw for some that can be taken raw such as tomatoes, carrots onions etc,but for the rest that needs to be cooked before consumption is better prepared using the STEAMING method of cooking, as this is the best way of preserving the heat labile vitamins and other nutrients.

During cooking, vegetables are subjected to heat; at this point some nutrients are gradually lost e.g. Vitamin C and folic acid at a high temperature. Although all other methods of cooking vegetables are acceptable but the best of them all is STEAMING as this method tends to preserve the nutrients more than others do. The doubting Thomas’s here will be like why?

Reasons Why steaming is the best method

-Steaming preserves the flavour, texture and the heat labile nutrients in vegetables more than other methods

-Preserves some cancer fighting compounds in vegetables like in Cabbage.

The above mentioned reasons is not just for mentioning sake, the concept behind this is to ensure that the health benefits of vegetables are utilized.

How to steam your vegetables

A Bigger population in Nigeria already knows this; in some rural homes you see mothers put vegetables as the last thing before the pot of soup is put down.

-wash the vegetables

-Add any amount of water that is proportional to the vegetable you have.

-put on the stove or gas (steamer)

-leave the water to heat up

-put your vegetable

-put down the pot once the vegetable is tender

Healthy steaming should not exceed 5 minutes.

ATTENTION PLEASE: I want to use this medium to correct this: Vegetables like fluted pumpkin or Ugu as is called in Igbo are meant to be washed before it is cut and not wash after cutting as most of us do. REASON Green vegetables contain photochemical (suloraphane and isothiocyanates) which is in the green colouring of the leaf, huge portion of these photochemical in the process of washing after cutting is lost.

WOW!!!!!!!! I hope you are enlightened, keep sharing this information so we stay healthy together.

I look forward to your contributions and questions in the comment box.

STAY HEALTHY
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I can recommend you use a food steamers at home. Steaming food is a superior way to eat healthily, look good and lose weight. You can choose one of the best food steamers for yourself. It’s good for rice, veggies, cooking soups and chilis.