Pressure cooking or using a pressure cooker to cook food is the commonest cooking method. And hence, no one discusses whether it is healthy or not. For years, we have accepted that it is a natural process to cook rice, tomatoes, potatoes, and meats. However, there are conflicting views on the health impact of foods cooked in a pressure cooker. Read to know pressure cooking is healthy or not.
Table of content:
- How does cooking food in a pressure cooker work?
- Why should we use a pressure cooker to cook our food?
- What impacts are on the food cooked in the pressure cooker?
- Why should we not use a pressure cooker to cook food?
- Final Verdict
How does cooking food in a pressure cooker work?
Cooking food in a pressure cooker is a cooking method in which steam is blocked in the pressure cooker. The cooker traps the vapour rising from the water when it is heated. The rising vapour raises the pressure inside the pot and speeds up the cooking process. In pressure cooking, the heat is transferred from the source of the heat to the food via steam.
Why should we use a pressure cooker to cook our food?
Until now, nothing is documented. However, people debate cooking food in a pressure cooker is healthy or not. For some, it is unhealthy, as it heats the food at a very high temperature. For some, it is healthy, as it cooks the food fast and the food has a lesser exposure to heat. Here are some points why you should use a pressure cooker to cook your food:
- Steaming, the pressure cooking is one of the healthiest cooking methods. The experts state vegetables retain the nutrients they have while other means of cooking like boiling destroy the nutrients due to the exposure of excessive heat.
- As per a study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the use of a pressure cooker for cooking food decreases the lectin from food. It is known for reducing the nutritional value of food. It means the pressure cooking is good.
- The use of a pressure cooker reduces your cooking time. Due to the expose of food to heat for a lesser period, the pressure cooking keeps the nutrients intact. And so, the food cooked in the pressure cooker is healthier.
What impacts are on the food cooked in the pressure cooker?
The pressure cooking impacts differently with each food item. Talking about rice, the pressure cooking makes it heavier. Tomatoes get healthier when cooked in a pressure cooker. The meat/mutton/chicken cooked in the pressure cooker is easily digestible.
As a result of cooking starchy foods in a pressure cooker, acrylamide, a harmful chemical, is formed. Its regular intake may lead you to have health issues such as infertility, cancer, or neurological disorders.
Final Verdict
You should use a pressure cooker to cook your food when you have no time or you are in a hurry or you want to cook food soon. Like other means cooking, the pressure cooking has its own pros and cons. The best way is that you should keep experimenting while cooking food. With this, you won’t get habituated of the pressure cooking and your body will always be ready to adopt changes. You should maintain a balance between varied cooking methods.