Why is steam cooking healthier?

From crisp, fresh tasting vegetables to juicier, more succulent roasts, steam cooking can really help take your meals to the next level. There are countless advantages when compared to traditional oven cooking or frying, and it doesn’t take the skills of a top chef to get amazing results.

Here’s why a steam oven could be your favourite new kitchen appliance.

Simply put, steam ovens cook your food as you would expect an oven to, but also add a mist of steam into the cavity. The steam circulates around your food, making the heat moist (rather than dry as in a conventional oven). The results speak for themselves. Meat tastes more juicy. Vegetables are more crisp, retaining more of their nutrients and vitamins. You may even notice crisper crusts on bread.

Almost anything! Many people are under the misconception that steam can only be used to cook vegetables, but there are a whole host of dishes and ingredients that are perfect for cooking with steam. With Bosch ovens, this also means quicker cooking times. Steam Function Plus in the oven is faster than steaming on the hob. For example: green beans and carrots are up to 50% quicker steamed, or potatoes up to 35% faster*.

You can use steam cooking for most types of meat and fish, and often in less time than traditional oven cooking. Whether it’s a quick weekday dinner or a Sunday roast, try steam cooking for your next meal. For example, steam cooking roast beef results in an even more tender joint. Another benefit of steam cooking is it helps to melt fats in proteins such as meat and fish, letting them run out rather than cooking them into the finished dish.

There are so many ways to cook and serve vegetables, but steam cooking excels in keeping the nutrients in and is perfect for veggies that are best served al dente – such as broccoli and asparagus. Steaming is a gentler way to cook vegetables which means they retain more of their flavour and vitamins, as well as often being more energy efficient that boiling or roasting. With the Steam Function Plus, steaming broccoli at a temperature of over 100°C, retains up to 54% more nutrients than conventional cooking methods, as well as up to 10% more Vitamin C**.

It may sound strange, but adding steam while baking bread helps to develop a crisp, crunchy crust. In fact, you’ll find many master bakers adding steam to their ovens while baking – especially for traditionally crusty bread like baguettes. The moisture settling on the outside of the bread means the crust develops at the ideal rate while the inside of the loaf cooks to a perfect soft crumb. Steaming in the oven means you’re also sure to get a good rise on your dough, specifically using the Steam Function Plus in our full steam oven.

Steam ovens are known for their ability to lock in flavour, so you can be as creative as you wish with your dishes. Try a tray of chicken and vegetables, or even fish with lemon and your favourite herbs and spices, and discover new dimensions to your favourite dishes.

Steam helps reduce the fat from proteins like chicken and fish, instead of locking them into the dish, which lowers the overall amount of cholesterol you consume. Steam cooking also retains vitamins while also cooking meat, fish, bread, and vegetables without using oil. So you can cook healthy #LikeABosch.

When you cooking with steam, any sodium in the food starts to be drawn out into the water, which means less sodium in the final dish. Plus, because the food is cooked at a lower temperature while steaming, it means there is less need for oils and butter. Overall, a healthier, lower calorie and lower sodium dish.

Browse our full range of steam ovens here.

_{* Steam Functions Plus compared to 100°C Steam, BSH laboratory test}

_{** Steam Functions Plus compared to cooking in boiled water, University ofHohenheim test results 5/2022 and 10/2022}