What is a steamer for? Benefits and harms of steamed food - Setafi

There are several answers to the question of what a double boiler is for. The main purpose of this appliance for the kitchen is steam cooking at a temperature of about 100 ° C. Such food turns out to be more healthy and tasty than, for example, boiled in water or, all the more so, fried in oil. There are other benefits to steamed food, which are discussed in this article.

What is a steamer

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

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. To understand whether a double boiler is needed is quite simple. If you plan on steaming your food often to keep it healthy and without extra fat, definitely yes.

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

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

Advantages and disadvantages of a steamer

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

1. Products are cooked in a “gentle” mode at a not too high temperature. They retain vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances.
2. There is no contact with oil, so there are no carcinogens and other dangerous compounds. This is indispensable for those people who cannot eat fried foods.
3. Another reason why you need a double boiler is to reduce calories. Cooking goes without oil, which makes it possible to lose weight without changing the 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 appliance or a sound notifies you to turn off the stove. This also explains why a steamer is used in the kitchen.
5. Food does not come into contact with water - it is not boiled, but steamed. Therefore, even vegetables are tastier.

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.

There are not many downsides to this device. But it is worth considering that if there are several tiers, food on the lower one will cook faster. Therefore, you need to adapt to the double boiler by learning how to steam. Another conditional drawback is that fried food always tastes brighter. Although if you choose between pleasure and health, the decision is quite clear.

Is it healthy to eat for a couple

Steamed food has both benefits and harms. At the same time, there are definitely more advantages:

• preservation of vitamins, including groups B and C;
• the complete absence of carcinogens and other harmful substances resulting from frying in oil;
• reduced calorie content due to the absence of fat;
• preservation of taste;
• strengthening immunity, losing weight, speeding up metabolic processes - all these effects become noticeable if you eat such food for a month.

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

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

How to use the steamer

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

1. Products are laid 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, such as 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 hot water vapor can burn you in the same way as hot oil.

There is no doubt whether a steamer is needed in the house. This is a handy 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, a timer and different modes. In fact, this is already a multicooker in which you can cook almost any dish.