The food nutrition facts are clear. Steaming veggies and whole grains is best.
 
The food nutrition facts on steaming vegetables and whole grains for healthy weight loss just keep getting better and better. For one very good reason...
When you steam them they retain most of the vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients (unlike boiling or microwaving which just robs them of nutrients).  --CLICK ON THE ORANGE RSS BUTTON (upper left) to subscribe to Gigi's FREE Weekly Tips and Recipe Ideas for: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner & Snacks
Food nutrition facts: Steaming vegetables.  Always start with the fresh, organic vegetables. Look for young and tender broccoli, carrots, peas; the list goes on and on, but the food nutrition facts maintain almost any vegetable can be steamed.
The best way to steam vegetables is by using a bamboo steamer or metal steamer. I have both kinds and use the bamboo one to steam fish as well. Bring an inch or so of water to boiling before placing the steamer over the water. The boiling water should not touch the vegetables, the point here is to use the steam, which is hotter than boiling water. Many vegetables (such as string beans or spinach) can be steamed whole, but food nutrition facts are, to shorten the steaming time cut them into even-sized pieces. With hard vegetables cut them in smaller pieces than the softer vegetables, this will even out the cooking time between them. Or, place the hard vegetables in the steamer first, and the soft vegetables last. Steam the vegetables until they are cooked, but still crisp. Some soft vegetables like fresh asparagus need less than a minute in the steamer, while harder vegetables such as whole potatoes may take up to 20-30 minutes. Steamed vegetables should be served immediately to retain their crispness, and food nutrition facts state they can be delicious just the way nature made them, with nothing added. Food nutrition facts: Steaming Brown Rice and other Whole Grains. I love brown rice, it comprise about 60 percent of my diet, but there are many other healthy whole grains out there. They’re all tasty and nutritious, supplying the vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber for a healthier body.  Also, for anyone worried about colon cancer risk, brown rice is a concentrated source of the fiber needed to minimize the amount of time cancer-causing substances spend in contact with colon cells.
Plus, brown rice is a very good source of selenium, a trace mineral that has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of colon cancer. In contrast to the refined grains, like white rice, couscous and pearled barley. These are stripped of their bran and germ, causing a dramatic loss of nutrients. In fact, refined grains have been so stripped of nutrients by processing they have to pump more back in to have any nutritional value at all. If you are serious about following a low-fat, high-fiber diet, I strongly recommend that you invest in an electric steamer. This is by far the easiest, healthiest way to cook all of the whole grains. Plus you can use it to steam vegetables and seafood as well. Just follow the directions on the electric steamer for success. It’s kind of a no-brainer way of getting it done right, every time. Little tip: I let the grains sit for at least 20-30 minutes after the timer rings before removing the lid. Just never use the microwave. It’s the one sure way of stripping away the nutritional value your whole grains. So don’t do it. You can add steamed grains to soups or veggie stews or just serve them as sides. To keep things interesting try experimenting with some spices, or sprinkling lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, or olive oil over your steamed vegetables and grains. Food nutrition facts say, keep it simple, keep it healthy. One more little tip: Grains need to be chewed more than other foods for digestion. Many people complain of gas and bloating because they don’t chew their food well. So chew well. Happy Steaming…Gigi
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