Why Steaming is the Healthiest Cooking Method (and How to Do It Better!)

Serving carrots and broccoli with dinner tonight? Yum! You could air fry for a crispy finish, drizzle with oil in the oven, pan fry with butter, or make the healthiest choice and start steaming.

Steam is a quick, convenient way to cook; but is steam really healthier than other options? Hands down, yes! Learn about steam’s surprising health benefits, try tasty steaming tips, and choose the perfect vegetable steamer for your kitchen:

Three Health Benefits of Steam Cooking

1. Steam protects nutrients

Most nutrients in vegetables are water-soluble, which means they’ll leach out into the water it’s cooked in. If you cook vegetables in stew or soup, for example, most of the vitamins and minerals will end up in the broth. Also, the longer and hotter you cook veggies, the more vitamins you’ll lose because high heat can degrade and destroy nutrients.

Instead, a food steamer basket protects the integrity of our food with a gentle, quick cooking process.

2. Steam actually removes fat

Steam cooking is naturally oil-free! Unlike pan frying or roasting, you don’t have to coat food in oil or fat to prevent it from burning at high heats.

But did you know, cooking with an electric food steamer can also lower fat levels in the meat itself? Use your steamer for fatty meat, like pork belly, marbled pot roast, or corned beef. Rising steam gently melts and drips off fat while it cooks! Tender, firm, juicy, healthy… perfect.

3. Steam improves digestion

If raw vegetables cause stomach discomfort, steaming might help! Artichokes, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, and bell peppers are full of healthy fiber that keeps digestion moving while also stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Steam cooking preserves – and most importantly, softens – fiber to help your body absorb all the benefits without bloating.

Three Hacks to Make Steamed Food Taste Better

Simplicity is part of what makes steamed dishes so special. Gentle steam emphasizes the subtle nuance of authentic flavors. What some people describe as ‘bland,’ we praise as ‘fresh!’ But if you’re looking for something BOLD, steam can do that, too:

1. Season the liquid (or skip water altogether)

Broth, beer, wine, citrus juice, and seasoned vinegar can infuse flavor through steaming. Just make sure to avoid thick liquids that could burn, and deep-clean your food steamer thoroughly when you’re done.

For an even stronger flavor boost, transfer the remaining liquid from your food steamer to the stove and turn it into a sauce.

2. Marinate or add a spice rub

Many fresh and dried spices have low boiling points, so pan-cooking at high heat can alter or destroy the aroma you want to add. Steam is a gentler cooking method, and you might be surprised how clearly spice rubs hold their flavor! Plus, you don’t have to worry about it burning or sticking to the pan.

3. Steam in parchment paper

“En papillote” is a traditional French cooking technique, but it’s not complicated – we promise! Simply place tender foods like chicken or fish on a piece of parchment paper, surround it with aromatics, wrap it up tightly, and turn on your food steamer.

Citrus slices, grated ginger, smashed garlic, and sliced onions or scallions add so much flavor en papillote!

Three Food Steamers with Fancy New Features

Shopping for the best food steamer? We recommend thinking about what’s best for your kitchen! Browse, compare, and shop – right here with Aroma:

1. SmartCarb® Food Steamer

SmartCarb® is perfect for small portions of steamed vegetables, flavorful soups, and quick low-carb rice. The pressurized steam wand cooks evenly over the top while starchy water drains off the bottom of the inner pot. Steam and serve fluffy rice with up to 30% less carbs, only with SmartCarb®!

2. Stacking Food Steamer Baskets

Steam larger portions for the whole family or speed up meal prep for the week. Aroma’s new 8-quart food steamer stacks up with more room for ingredients, and powerful heat starts steaming in just 60 seconds. Fill both steaming baskets with meat and vegetables or add the bonus rice steamer dish for healthy grains.

3. Pop-Up Rice Cooker Steamer Basket

Pop up to add cooking space, then nest down for compact storage. Aroma’s newest steamer basket allows you to cook the maximum rice capacity inside the pot while steaming on top. And with rearrangeable accessories, everything fits neatly inside when you’re done cooking – perfect for small kitchens with limited storage.

Happy steaming!