The history of low-heat cooking is fascinating, so it’s no wonder the practice is still done today! Evidence suggests that various ancient civilisations used low-heat cooking methods, such as underground ovens. Since then, cooking at low temperatures has become a common practice in both homes and restaurants.
The beauty of cooking at lower temperatures is that this technique can help preserve nutrients and prevent food from overheating, contributing to healthier and more flavourful dishes. So today, we are keen to discuss the 5 benefits that low-heat cooking can bring to the table.
Low-heat cooking helps ingredients retain their nutritional value
Heard of phytonutrients? Found in plants, these are beneficial compounds that aren’t considered vitamins or minerals. Something interesting about heat is that it. can reduce the vitamins and phytonutrients present in fruits and vegetables.¹ The bottom line is that when ingredients are cooked at lower temperatures, more nutrients are preserved.
Assists with digestion
Low-temperature cooking techniques like steaming or gentle simmering are particularly effective at preserving the nutritional integrity of ingredients. By cooking at lower temperatures, vitamins and other nutrients are less likely to degrade, ensuring that the food retains its nutritional value. This not only makes the food easier to digest but also makes the most of its health benefits. For example, vegetables cooked at lower temperatures maintain higher levels of antioxidants, compared to those cooked at higher temperatures. Therefore, incorporating low-temperature cooking techniques into your cooking can actually contribute to a healthier diet.
Preserves moisture
Cooking meat at a low temperature for a long time breaks down the fat and connective tissue, resulting in tender, flavourful dishes like soups and stews that are juicy and rich.¹
If, on your low-heat cooking journey, you are searching for a pan that does all the hard work for you, our 24cm Stock Pot is the one to add to your collection. Complete with a lid, it is the ideal choice for low (and higher) temperature stovetop creations, from savoury soups to rich sauces.
Enhances flavour
Cooking vegetables at low temperatures enhances their flavours, making them softer, sweeter, and more flavourful. This method also minimises shrinkage and ensures even cooking – so you don’t have to worry about where the abundance of spinach leaves went.
Helps to prevent the formation of acrylamides
When some foods are cooked at higher temperatures, a chemical called acrylamide can form. Often found in foods like coffee, French fries, breakfast cereals and bread, acrylamide is also used in making dyes, paper, plastics, and treating wastewater and drinking water and is found in cigarette smoke. Since acrylamide is considered a carcinogen, it can be potentially harmful. However, cooking at lower temperatures can help to prevent its formation.
A nutritionist perspective
Nutritionist, Chef and Presenter Zoe Bingley-Pullin believes that having a loving attitude towards food and conscious cooking is beneficial for health and is within reach for all.
“There is a profound connection between what we choose to eat and hormonal balance. Actions as seemingly harmless as frequent consumption of microwaved foods in plastic containers or starting the day with caffeine on an empty stomach can disrupt our digestive harmony and undermine overall health and well-being. These choices have the potential to disrupt our hormonal equilibrium, leaving many of us feeling fatigued, lethargic and leaving us with a sluggish metabolism in some cases. Where high-heat cooking often reduces these nutrients, the beauty of low-heat cooking is that we are giving our body the nutrients it needs to thrive.”
How to perfect the low-heat cooking method
Cooking at low temperatures is easy with Blu.! Here’s how to do it:
Setting your stove to the highest heat will not only reduce the lifespan of your non-stick, but it will also mean that the pan will be too hot for your ingredients. So, set it to low at first.
All Blu. Cookware products have high conductivity, so your pots and pans will heat quickly and evenly.
If the water beads and moves around the pan, then it’s the perfect temperature!
Enticed about the wonders of low-heat cooking? Discover our favourite nutrient-rich recipes, handpicked by chefs, nutritionists and foodies themselves. These are designed to delight the entire family – even those picky eaters!
