Nutrition. Steam, pan, pressure cooker: which cooking method should you choose?

"A balanced, quality diet requires mastery of cooking," emphasizes Nicolas Aubineau, dietitian and nutritionist. The ideal cooking method? Short cooking times and relatively low temperatures. In other words, limited to a temperature of 80°C or 90°C.

Indeed, like certain B vitamins, many substances are simply destroyed from 90°C. This is also the case with vitamin C, from 100°C.

Superstar Steam

The cooking methods which best meet these requirements are the following:

• steamed ;
• stewed (or stewed, casserole, tagine, stewpot, etc.);
• in foil , in greaseproof paper or why not in banana leaves!

These techniques cook food gently while preserving its flavor and nutritional qualities: nutrients, minerals, and other vitamins. All without the need to add fat. However, they are not recommended for red meat, cheese recipes, and dishes that need to be crispy, such as pies or quiches.

• the wok ... provided you do it really quickly (10-15 minutes maximum)! And therefore, don't let your dishes simmer. Contact with the hot surface actually promotes the destruction of micronutrients.

On the other hand, avoid cooking:

• in water : the minerals are diluted in the cooking water and therefore escape from the food in question;
• the pressure cooker or in a pressure cooker: here, the temperature is very high, "exceeding 100°C with too much pressure," explains Nicolas Aubineau.

As for pan-frying or other frying, they generally require the addition of fats that are more or less resistant to high temperatures. Finally, cooking is important for certain foods such as cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, garlic, salsify, cereals (wheat, rye, corn, etc.) or legumes (beans, peas, lentils, etc.). It makes them much more digestible.