What are the advantages of using a steamer?
Great for rice, vegetables, meats, poultry, fish and shellfish
Retains nutrients in food
Retains the natural colors and flavors in vegetables
Cooks with water instead of oils and butter
Requires less monitoring than range or oven cooking
Faster cooking times and increased productivity
Steaming tips
- Always preheat steamers
- Food items of the same size cook evenly
- Break up frozen vegetables
- Season vegetables after steaming, not before
- Always steam vegetables in perforated pans
- If steaming meat in perforated pan, use solid catch pan underneath
- For best use, use a drain that is 6 ft. away from the steamer
Steaming vs. Boiling
The following chart shows the savings of nutrients when foods are steamed rather than boiled, in percentages.
| VEGETABLE |
% Loss of Dry Matter |
% Loss of Protein |
% Loss of Calcium |
% Loss of Magnesium |
% Loss of Phosphorus |
% Loss of Iron |
| Asparagus - Boiled |
14.0 |
20.0 |
16.5 |
8.8 |
25.8 |
34.4 |
| Asparagus - Steamed |
7.9 |
13.3 |
15.3 |
1.4 |
10.4 |
20.0 |
|
|
| String beans - Boiled |
24.6 |
29.1 |
29.3 |
31.4 |
27.6 |
38.1 |
| String beans - Steamed |
14.2 |
16.6 |
16.3 |
21.4 |
18.8 |
24.50 |
|
|
| Beetgreens - Boiled |
29.7 |
22.2 |
15.9 |
41.6 |
44.9 |
43.1 |
| Beetgreens - Steamed |
15.7 |
6.9 |
3.8 |
14.1 |
14.0 |
24.5 |
|
|
| Cabbage - Boiled |
60.7 |
61.5 |
72.3 |
76.1 |
59.9 |
66.6 |
| Cabbage - Steamed |
26.4 |
31.5 |
40.2 |
43.4 |
22.0 |
34.6 |
|
|
| Cauliflower - Boiled |
37.6 |
44.4 |
24.6 |
25.0 |
49.8 |
36.2 |
| Cauliflower - Steamed |
2.1 |
7.6 |
3.1 |
1.7 |
19.2 |
8.3 |
|
|
| Celery - Boiled |
45.4 |
52.6 |
36.1 |
57.1 |
48.7 |
-- |
| Celery - Steamed |
22.3 |
22.3 |
11.6 |
32.4 |
15.7 |
-- |
|
|
| Celery Cabbage - Boiled |
63.2 |
67.1 |
49.7 |
61.6 |
66.1 |
67.6 |
| Celery Cabbage - Steamed |
38.3 |
33.5 |
16.3 |
32.6 |
30.2 |
44.1 |
|
|
| Spinach - Boiled |
33.9 |
29.0 |
5.5 |
59.1 |
48.8 |
57.1 |
| Spinach - Steamed |
8.4 |
5.6 |
0.0 |
17.8 |
10.2 |
25.7 |
|
|
| Beets - Boiled |
30.9 |
22.0 |
18.7 |
30.9 |
33.6 |
-- |
| Beets - Steamed |
21.5 |
5.4 |
1.5 |
29.4 |
20.1 |
-- |
|
|
| Carrots - Boiled |
20.1 |
26.4 |
8.9 |
22.8 |
19.0 |
34.1 |
| Carrots - Steamed |
5.1 |
14.5 |
5.1 |
5.6 |
1.1 |
20.7 |
|
|
| Kohlrabi - Boiled |
33.6 |
23.2 |
27.8 |
40.4 |
27.7 |
51.7 |
| Kohlrabi - Steamed |
7.6 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
14.3 |
7.7 |
21.3 |
|
|
| Onions - Boiled |
21.3 |
50.2 |
15.6 |
27.8 |
40.2 |
36.1 |
| Onions - Steamed |
11.0 |
30.7 |
7.1 |
15.7 |
31.5 |
15.9 |
|
|
| Parsnips - Boiled |
21.9 |
13.3 |
11.4 |
46.8 |
23.7 |
27.6 |
| Parsnips - Steamed |
4.6 |
20.0 |
4.2 |
18.2 |
5.7 |
8.1 |
|
|
| Potatoes - Boiled |
9.4 |
-- |
16.8 |
18.8 |
18.3 |
-- |
| Potatoes - Steamed |
4.0 |
-- |
9.6 |
14.0 |
11.7 |
-- |
|
|
| Sweet Potatoes - Boiled |
29.0 |
71.5 |
38.3 |
45.3 |
44.4 |
31.5 |
| Sweet Potatoes - Steamed |
21.1 |
15.0 |
22.1 |
31.5 |
24.3 |
25.1 |
|
|
| Rutabagas - Boiled |
45.8 |
48.6 |
37.1 |
42.7 |
57.2 |
50.0 |
| Rutabagas - Steamed |
13.2 |
15.7 |
13.4 |
3.4 |
24.6 |
14.3 |
|
|
| All vegetables - Boiled |
39.4 |
43.0 |
31.9 |
44.7 |
46.4 |
48.0 |
| All vegetables - Steamed |
14.0 |
16.0 |
10.7 |
18.6 |
16.7 |
21.3 |
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