steaming greens superior to microwaving!!

[Guest guest]

STEAM THE GREENS

A study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

reports that microwaving broccoli robs the vegetable of certain antioxidants

far more than steaming does. The researchers found nuking reduced some

antioxidants by as much 97 percent, while steaming cut them by no more than

11 percent.

[Guest guest]

That study was debunked by Dean over on the other list. The microwaved

veggies were (over) cooked on high for 5 min. The results were consistent

with too much temperature for too much time and most likely had nothing to

do with method.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: Francesca Skelton [mailto:fskelton@...]

Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:17 PM

support group

Subject: [ ] steaming greens superior to microwaving!!

STEAM THE GREENS

A study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

reports that microwaving broccoli robs the vegetable of certain antioxidants

far more than steaming does. The researchers found nuking reduced some

antioxidants by as much 97 percent, while steaming cut them by no more than

11 percent.

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " john roberts " <johnhrob@...>

< >

Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:40 PM

Subject: RE: [ ] steaming greens superior to microwaving!!

> That study was debunked by Dean over on the other list. The microwaved

> veggies were (over) cooked on high for 5 min.

I must have missed some post over there. I thought his solution

was to very deliberately under-use the microwave, only for mild

warming.

Hue

[Guest guest]

Perhaps I wasn't clear... What Dean determined about the study claiming that

microwaves destroyed a significant fraction of nutrients, was that the study

was flawed. They effectively heated the vegetables hotter and longer in the

microwave than the other methods. In other words it wasn't a fair

comparison.

We have discussed this general issue in great detail (on the other list).

Yes, steaming has benefits in that you can cook just the outside of the food

where germs are likely to be, as compare to microwaving which will cook the

inside and the outside at the same time.

Nobody is suggesting that you should abandon your steamer and start cooking

food in a microwave, nor should you boil it in water too long either. My

point is that there is no bad magic coming from microwaves. It's just

another technique for heating that has specific properties.

It's great to use a steamer for steaming vegetables, but I submit a

microwave will be far more effective for defrosting frozen meals (something

I do most nights).

Use the appropriate technology for the task, and don't blindly accept every

study you read in a newspaper or on the internet. Many are flawed.

I could be wrong too, but I sure don't think so.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: Hue [mailto:kargo_cult@...]

Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 7:29 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] steaming greens superior to microwaving!!

----- Original Message -----

From: " john roberts " <johnhrob@...>

< >

Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:40 PM

Subject: RE: [ ] steaming greens superior to microwaving!!

> That study was debunked by Dean over on the other list. The microwaved

> veggies were (over) cooked on high for 5 min.

I must have missed some post over there. I thought his solution

was to very deliberately under-use the microwave, only for mild

warming.

Hue