Are Nutrients Preserved by Pressure Cooking?

Dr. Greger uses pressure steam to cook his greens, but does pressure cooking preserve nutrients? In a comprehensive review of cooking methods on vegetables, researchers found that while heat can destroy certain nutrients, steaming emerged as the best cooking method to preserve the most nutrition. However, there is limited research on the effects of pressure cooking.

Researchers discovered that pressure-cooking black beans resulted in six times the antioxidant levels compared to other cooking methods. Similarly, pressure-cooking carrots almost doubled their antioxidant potential. However, the effect of pressure cooking on greens such as chard or spinach varied depending on the cooking time and method.

Notably, pressure steaming, where greens are cooked under pressure for zero minutes, was found to preserve the most nutrients. Dr. Greger recommends trying this method for cooking greens and encourages feedback on the results.

For more practical information on cooking and nutrition, watch Dr. Greger’s related videos.