Vegetables are certainly one of the healthiest foods rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protective plant compounds, they play a big role in maintaining general health and preventing common diseases. However, when it comes to cooking vegetables, how you cook them can make a difference in their nutritional value.

Among the most common cooking methods are boiling and steaming, both of which affect vegetables in different ways. Although boiling immerses the vegetables in water, steaming uses hot vapor to cook the food. So, should you steam or boil vegetables for the best health benefits?

Vegetables have such essential nutrients that they present loads of health benefits to humanity. They are not just rich in vitamins but carry beta-carotene also, which acts like a shield against oxidative stress from any source and decreases the chances of severe diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. In addition, vegetables act like a great source of dietary fibers, which are imperative to digest food, maintain healthy blood sugar, and increase satiety for a long time.

However, as healthy as vegetables are, the way they are cooked plays a huge role in how well our body can absorb these nutrients. The cooking method you choose can either enhance or diminish the nutritional value of your vegetables.

Is Steaming A Healthier Choice?

Steaming is considered to be one of the healthiest methods for cooking vegetables. In this method, the vegetables are placed in a perforated basket above boiling or simmering water and allow steam to rise and cook the food gently. Since steaming doesn't require direct contact with water, there is a loss of fewer nutrients as compared to boiling.

One of the main benefits of steaming is that it does help retain water-soluble vitamins, vitamin C and B vitamins, which are commonly leached out when boiled vegetables soak in water. Research evidence has shown that steaming can have a higher concentration of retention of some vitamins, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and flavonoid antioxidants, than boiling does. In fact, it was found in a 2009 study that steaming broccoli, one of the healthiest vegetables, would retain the most nutrients in comparison to five other ways of cooking, including boiling, microwaving, and stir-frying.

Steaming also maintains plant compounds like flavonoids, which are among the most potent antioxidants known for their association with several benefits, including cancer prevention. A study on different cooking methods showed that steaming enhanced the flavonoid antioxidants in most vegetables, including broccoli, spinach, and carrots. However, some vegetables, such as carrots, are increased in beta-carotene when steamed. Beta-carotene is a form of vitamin A that is crucial for eye health and immune function.

One of the interesting results of comparative research between steaming and boiling is that the vitamin C loss is less during steaming, especially as it is one of the sensitive vitamins to heat and water. It has been demonstrated that, in terms of loss, steaming vegetables have shown a very minor loss of vitamin C, only 14%, after five minutes of steaming. However, a loss of 54% was noted when boiling the vegetables.

Does Boiling Causes Loss of Nutrients?

Boiling the vegetables can save so much time, but boiling the vegetables does not guarantee their highest nutrient retention. Boiling simply puts the vegetables under hot water and cooks it under direct heat. However boiling can be said to be very swift since it will result in getting rid of nutrients found in water. To explain, many vegetables have massive portions of vitamins; for example, vitamin C can be dissolved by hot water during boiling. Most, therefore will leach away from the prepared meals.

Aside from Vitamin C, beta-carotene is one of the few major losers in boiled foods. Laboratory tests done on peas and cauliflower reveal that their more than 50 percent levels of antioxidants were destroyed. Boiling also causes huge losses of vitamins and minerals to vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. If you have to boil your vegetables, try to limit the time and avoid overcooking to minimize the loss of nutrients.

Interestingly, some vegetables, like carrots, may benefit from boiling, as boiling has been shown to increase the bioavailability of beta-carotene. However, this benefit is typically outweighed by the significant loss of other nutrients when boiled.

Can Microwaving Vegetables Be A Healthier Alternative?

If you’re looking for an alternative cooking method that preserves nutrients, microwaving could be a good option. Microwaving is the method of cooking food using electromagnetic waves and requires very less or no water. Thus, microwaving is a gentler method of cooking that helps retain water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C. A study conducted in 2003 showed that vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, and beans, when cooked with little water in a microwave oven, had a significantly high amount of phytonutrients compared to those cooked by other methods, including boiling.

How to Cook Vegetables- Tips to Make The Choice

While steaming and microwaving are excellent ways for cooking vegetables, you can take it to the next level for maximizing the health benefits of your vegetables by using healthy fats in cooking. For instance, sautéing vegetables in extra-virgin olive oil can enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E, and K. Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, which provide additional health benefits.

When cooking vegetables, do not overuse salt. Instead, season with fresh herbs, spices, and lemon juice. This will provide flavor without the negative health effects of too much sodium.

This argument in the war between steaming and boiling vegetables: it is simply a way to better retain the nutrients in food. This way of cooking helps in keeping vitamins and antioxidants from vitamin C, beta-carotene, and flavonoids that play an important role in human health.

The better it would be to steam the vegetables if you want to derive maximum health benefits from it. Steam or broccoli, spinach, carrots-any food cooked- is only allowed by steaming so that a maximum amount of nutrient value is retained. Further alternative, to microwaving, minimal water can be used too. No matter how one cooks his vegetables, add healthy fats like olive oil and season with herbs; in this way, nutrition of these vegetables will be maximized further.

Making small differences in how you prepare vegetables can make a big difference in your health. The next time you get ready to prepare a meal, steam it instead of boiling so that you have a much healthier, more nutrient-rich plate of vegetables.

Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2009

Influence of cooking methods on antioxidant activity of vegetables. J Food Sci. 2009

In the world full of people who are on their quest to defy aging like Bryan Johnson, we have another on the list, a 41-year-old doctor from London, Dr Mohammed Enayat. While speaking to Business Insider, the doctor, who is also the founder of the Hum2n longevity clinic said that tests which were taken some 18 months back indicated that his biological age was 24.

He has devoted his life to longevity which he says could be achieved through comprehensive routine that includes readily accessible supplements. While there is no universal test that measures one's biological age, Dr Enayat says that he used GlycanAge and TruAge PACE tests. These tests measure the chronic inflammation and then determine one's biological age.

What Works In Anti Aging?

Dr Enayat shared that he had been monitoring his health closely form the last seven years. He is also using wearable technology like an Oura ring, which is a smart ring that is used to track sleep and physical activities. He also recommended using fitness device which can help one monitor the physiological data, which includes heart rate, respiratory rate and resting heart rate, for this, he used a Whoop strap.

He had also been regular with his full body tests which included regular blood, urine, and microbiome tests. What has helped him is also his regular intake of supplements, which he has consistently taken and considers them as his "core".

"While I believe these supplements have supported my biological age reversal, I credit them as one component in a much broader framework," he told to Business Insider.

What Supplements Does The Doctor Use To Reverse His Age?

Dr Enayat shares a list of supplements that he uses in his journey to reverse his biological age. The first one on his list is vitamin B and folate supplement. He shares that he consumes it due to its "methylation gene defect". It causes high, pro-inflammatory homocysteine levels and in order to bring it down, he has to be on a good B complex and a folate supplement.

He also emphasized on the magnesium supplement. He revealed that his natural levels are already below the recommended levels, due to his dietary intake. In order to compensate that, he opts for magnesium bisglycinate, which is a form better known for absorption. "It works really well to bring my levels up," he shares.

Furthermore, magnesium is also beneficial for bone health, blood sugar regulation, and muscle function. They are also found in foods like legumes and leafy greens.

Lastly, he credits his age reversal to omega-3 fatty acid supplements. He reveals that even in this parameter, his natural levels are low.

Omega-3 fatty acids are present in fish and chia seeds. They have been linked with an improved heart health, reduced inflammation, and lower blood pressure.

In fact, in a recent study, published in Nature Aging, which involved 777 participant, it was revealed that daily gram consumption of omega-3 fatty acid was in fact, associated with lower "biological ages".

A team of researchers has discovered a group of brain cells responsible for creating “meal memories” — a finding that could explain why people often overeat after forgetting a recent meal. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals how these neurons not only store information about what was eaten but also when it was consumed. The research, conducted on laboratory rats, may offer new insights into eating disorders, memory loss, and even distracted eating habits.

The Brain’s Food Log: What Are Meal Engrams?

Scientists observed that while eating, a specific set of neurons in the ventral hippocampus became active. These neurons formed what researchers are calling meal engrams — memory traces that preserve the details of eating experiences, including the place and time a meal occurred.

“Meal engrams function like biological databases,” explained Scott Kanoski, senior author of the study and professor at USC Dornsife. “They help the brain log not just the food, but the full context of the meal.”

Engrams have long been known to store different types of memories. This study is the first to identify engrams tied specifically to eating.

Why This Matters: Overeating and Memory Loss

The findings could help explain why individuals with memory impairments — such as those with dementia or brain injuries — may eat multiple meals in a short span of time. If the brain cannot properly recall a recent meal, it may mistakenly interpret hunger signals and prompt overeating.

Disordered eating can also be triggered by distracted eating. Whether it’s watching TV or scrolling on a phone, these distractions may interfere with how effectively the brain forms meal memories. According to lead author Lea Decarie-Spain, these interruptions weaken or prevent the creation of complete meal engrams. Without these memory markers, the brain may fail to recognize that a meal has already been consumed.

How the Brain Records a Meal

The study showed that rats formed meal memories during short pauses between bites — moments when their brains naturally surveyed the environment. These pauses are key to integrating various streams of information such as time, place, and sensory details. When attention is disrupted during these pauses, memory formation suffers.

Using advanced neuroscience tools, researchers monitored brain activity in real-time as the rats ate. When the meal memory neurons were destroyed, the rats forgot where food was located but could still perform non-food-related memory tasks. This suggests that these neurons are uniquely dedicated to processing meal-related memories.

Further analysis showed that these neurons communicate with the lateral hypothalamus, a brain area crucial for regulating hunger. When this link was blocked, rats overate and could not remember meal details — further proving the importance of this memory mechanism.

A New Angle on Obesity Treatment

Kanoski believes this research opens new avenues for managing obesity and disordered eating. While current approaches largely focus on calorie restriction and exercise, strengthening meal memory formation could become an equally important strategy.

“Remembering what and when you ate could be just as vital as making healthy food choices,” he said.

In a world filled with distractions, this study underscores the power of mindful eating — not just for the sake of enjoyment, but for better memory, appetite control, and long-term health.

Herbs and spices are important parts of our diet. Used to enhance the taste and aroma of the food, these spices can be used in various ways. However, is the incredible taste and strong aroma the only benefits you get from herbs? There are many benefits to them as well, whether it is making our immunity strong, warding off cold or other infections as well as keeping our brain health strong!

Two herbs you probably have in your kitchen, rosemary and sage, might be surprisingly good for your health. New research published in the journal Antioxidants suggests these everyday plants could help improve your memory and even protect your brain from serious problems like dementia, a condition that affects memory and thinking.

Power of Carnosic Acid

Research shows that a special substance found in both rosemary and sage, called carnosic acid, could lower your chance of getting Alzheimer's disease. Carnosic acid is a strong "antioxidant" (which fights off harmful things in your body) and "anti-inflammatory" (which reduces swelling and irritation). This means it helps protect your brain cells from damage, like the kind of damage that leads to Alzheimer's.

New Hope for Alzheimer's Treatment

In a recent study published in the journal Antioxidants, scientists created a new, more stable version of carnosic acid called diAcCA. Early tests in labs showed that this new compound helped improve memory, increased the number of connections between brain cells, and reduced harmful proteins (like amyloid-beta and tau) that are linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists are hopeful that they can soon test diAcCA on humans. What's especially exciting is that diAcCA only becomes active in parts of the brain that are inflamed (swollen), which could mean fewer side effects. So far, studies in mice have shown no signs of harm and big improvements in how their brains work. Researchers also believe diAcCA might help treat other conditions that involve inflammation, such as type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and Parkinson's disease.

Other Brain-Boosting Compounds

Besides carnosic acid, rosemary and sage contain another helpful substance called 1,8-cineole. This compound helps stop the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a brain chemical that is very important for learning and memory. By protecting acetylcholine, rosemary might help keep our brains sharp as we get older. Plus, rosemary is full of antioxidants that protect brain cells from damage caused by something called "oxidative stress," which is a big reason why our thinking skills can decline.

Even just smelling rosemary might help your memory! A 2016 study from Northumbria University found that people who were in a room that smelled like rosemary had better memory. In this study, older adults in a rosemary-scented room did much better on memory tests compared to those in a room with no smell, scoring 15% higher. They also felt more awake.

General Tips for Dementia Prevention

The NHS (National Health Service) in the UK gives general advice on how to lower your risk of dementia:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Get at least 150 minutes of exercise (about 2.5 hours) every week. This means doing things like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Stop smoking if you do.
• Cut back on alcohol.
• Keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
• Stay socially active, meaning keep connecting with friends and family.