What is a steamer for? The benefits and harms of steamed food

There are several answers to the question of what a double boiler is for. The main purpose of this kitchen appliance is steaming food at a temperature of about 100°C. Such food turns out to be healthier and tastier than, for example, boiled in water or, especially, fried in oil. Steamed food has other benefits, which are discussed in this material.

What is a steamer

To put it simply, this is a special pan with an additional section (one or several) in which products are placed. Water is heated in the lower container, and when it boils, food is cooked due to streams of hot steam (temperature about 100 ° C).

The products do not come into contact with water, which distinguishes the process from cooking. There is also no need to use oil since the heat is produced by water vapor. Understanding whether a double boiler is needed is quite simple. If you plan to steam food often so that it remains healthy and without excess fat, definitely yes.

Modern models are quite convenient; they consist of several elements:

1. The main container has a thick bottom. The water heats up evenly in it and boils for several minutes or tens of minutes, creating stable steam.
2. A section (one or more) with numerous holes through which steam enters.These containers are inserted into the pot one by one, resulting in a multi-story structure.
3. The pan is a section that collects condensate.
4. Control unit - can be mechanical or electronic.

Advantages and disadvantages of a double boiler

If we talk about the pros and cons of a double boiler, you can find many more advantages than disadvantages. Among them are the following points:

1. Products are cooked in a “gentle” mode at not too high a temperature. They retain vitamins, mineral components and other beneficial substances.
2. There is no contact with oil, so there are no carcinogens or other dangerous compounds. This is indispensable for those people who cannot eat fried foods.
3. Another reason why you need a double boiler is related to reducing calories. Cooking takes place without oil, which makes it possible to lose weight without changing your diet and using products in the same quantities.
4. The food will not burn, even if you forget about it, since many models are equipped with a timer that automatically turns off the device or notifies with a sound that the stove needs to be turned off. This also explains why a steamer is used in the kitchen.
5. The food does not come into contact with water - it is not boiled, but steamed. Therefore, even vegetables turn out more tasty.

The advantages of a double boiler show that it is quite a convenient and useful kitchen utensil. In addition, it allows you to save space due to several tiers, in each of which you can cook, for example, 5-7 large manti.

The device doesn't have many downsides. But it’s worth considering that if there are several tiers, the food on the bottom will cook faster. Therefore, you need to adapt to the steamer by learning how to steam cook. Another drawback is that fried food always tastes brighter.Although if you choose between pleasure and health, the decision is quite understandable.

Is steamed food healthy?

Steamed food provides both benefits and harm. There are definitely more advantages:

• preservation of vitamins, including group B and C;
• complete absence of carcinogens and other harmful substances formed due to frying in oil;
• reduced calorie content due to the lack of fat;
• preservation of taste;
• strengthening the immune system, losing weight, accelerating metabolic processes - all these effects become noticeable if you eat such food for a month.

The described advantages show whether a steamer is needed or not. Steamed food is not as tasty as, for example, fried food, but it is definitely healthier.

There is no harm as such. But you should understand that if you choose cheap cookware made from low-quality materials, hazardous substances may be released into the water during prolonged cooking. Therefore, it is worth buying a high-quality container, for example, made of stainless steel, which is completely safe for humans. In this case, food in a double boiler brings only benefits.

How to use a steamer

You also need to figure out how to use the container correctly. Compared to a regular saucepan, it has several features that are worth considering. The basic rules are:

1. Products are added only at the moment when the water begins to boil very rapidly.
2. The container with the food being prepared should not come into contact with water - the minimum distance is at least the thickness of a finger (2-3 cm).
3. Meat and fish are placed on the lower tier, otherwise the liquid from them will begin to drain onto other products, for example, vegetables.
4. It is necessary to periodically ensure that there is enough water in the lower pan.
5. When opening the lid, you need to be careful, because you can get burned from hot water vapor in the same way as from hot oil.

There is no doubt about whether you need a steamer in your home. This is a convenient device that allows you to make really healthy food. To get all the benefits of a steamer, it is recommended to purchase a good container made of quality materials. You can buy a model with a built-in temperature sensor, timer and different modes. In fact, this is a multicooker in which you can cook almost any dish.