We all know how important it is to eat our vegetables on a daily basis. Vegetables are excellent sources of a variety of natural biochemicals and antioxidants that can reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases and are a rich source of fiber. We live in a fast paced society which means we look for the fastest way to prepare vegetables. For many, the quickest solution is the microwave. Recently there has been some controversy regarding whether vegetables retain their health benefits when they're cooked in a microwave. Is it healthy to microwave vegetables?
The controversy about whether to microwave vegetables began after a study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in 2003 revealed that broccoli florets cooked in a microwave lost over 97 percent of their flavonoids, the natural antioxidants which offset disease causing free radicals. This led to the conclusion that microwaving vegetables destroyed most of their antioxidants and vitamins.
Although the ideal method for preparing fresh vegetables may be to lightly steam them if pressed for time the microwave can be an acceptable alternative. In this study, broccoli was cooked for five minutes immersed in water in a microwave. Although prolonged exposure to heat can destroy some of the nutrients and antioxidants in vegetables, this happens universally with all cooking methods. The real problem may be the fact that the broccoli was immersed in water during testing. When broccoli was boiled in the microwave, many of the nutrients and antioxidants likely leached out in to the water. A similar phenomenon is seen when vegetables are boiled in water on a stove top. Steaming vegetables doesn't seem to result in as much nutrient or antioxidant loss since the vegetables don't come in contact with the hot water.
One solution to the problem of whether to microwave vegetables is to consider microwaving vegetables in an environment almost free of water. This can be done by placing vegetables into a microwave safe container with a cover. You can lightly mist your vegetables with a spray bottle of water but don't allow water to accumulate in the bowl. Microwave the vegetables with the lid on for as short a time period as possible. You want the vegetables to retain their natural crispness in order to maximize the vitamin and antioxidant content. When you remove the vegetables from the microwave, your vegetables should be lightly cooked and still nutritious. This can be a quick and convenient way to prepare vegetables for a meal. If you have extra time, you can choose to lightly steam vegetables but if time is an issue, the microwave can be a viable alternative.
