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Microwave Oven (Photo: Panasonic) |
Cooking vegetables in a microwave can lead to a loss of nutrients, while steaming is considered the best method for preserving nutrients in vegetables. Other methods, like pressure cooking and boiling, also result in significant nutrient loss.
Researchers at the National Scientific Institute CEBAS-CSIC in Spain have found that when vegetables are steamed, the antioxidants remain largely intact. In contrast, microwave cooking can nearly destroy these antioxidants due to the high amount of heat released from the vegetables during cooking.
Other cooking methods, such as pressure cooking and boiling, do not destroy antioxidants to the same extent as microwave cooking. However, most valuable compounds may leach into the cooking water, and over half of the antioxidants in vegetables can be lost during these cooking processes.
