There are really lots and lots of perfect ways to prepare potatoes. And they will taste completely different every time. You can boil them whole or cut them up in water. We can also bake them in the oven for marigolds or make them into fries. And they can also be pan-fried or deep-fried.

We can also make them into tasty mashed potatoes or potato gnocchi or dumplings. There are many ways to use potatoes in the kitchen. And so can other cooking ingredients in many different ways. Different types of meat can be boiled, stewed, fried, grilled or baked, for example. But which method of cooking is the healthiest?

Trends on TikTok

A trend is now emerging on the social network TikTok called water-based cooking. Of course, it’s not really a new thing, just a popularization of cooking or blanching. These are, of course, much healthier methods of preparing food than frying in oil or baking. In fact, frying and baking can produce a dangerous substance called advanced glycation.

Historical background

Water-based cooking methods have been central to culinary traditions for thousands of years. In ancient China, steaming was widely practised. Meanwhile, boiling and poaching spread throughout Europe. Ancient Roman cuisine often used poached seafood, for example. These are methods that remain essential today and are the basis of countless traditional as well as contemporary recipes around the world.

━━ ( Source: Jason Briscoe /  Unsplash+ )

Rejuvenating effects of food

Have you ever thought that stews, curries or soups can have rejuvenating as well as hydrating effects on your skin? It really does. The thing is that the dishes are cooked with plenty of water or in coconut milk. In short, they are prepared with plenty of liquid left in them.

In addition, cooking in water is done at lower temperatures than frying, baking and grilling, and as a result, more vitamins and other substances remain in the food . In addition, water-based cooking can reduce AGE levels in circulation by up to half. It is therefore clear that a cooked or steamed diet is much more acceptable and healthier for the body.

Avoid AGEs

If food is fried or baked with added fat, this produces advanced glycation end products or AGEs. What is it? These are substances that form when sugars react with proteins or fats at high temperatures in a process called the Maillard reaction. It’s the process that gives baked food its colour and also its taste.

Frying, baking and grilling generate large amounts of AGEs. These substances are harmful to the body because they bind to tissues and alter their functioning. That’s according to registered dietitian and nutritionist Melanie Murphy Richter, among others. One example is collagen. When AGEs bind to it, skin, joints and blood vessels stiffen.

In addition, AGEs can accelerate chronic disease. They can worsen insulin resistance by disrupting the way glucose moves into cells. In cardiovascular disease, AGEs thicken the collagen in the walls of blood vessels, making the arteries stiffer and more vulnerable to plaque build-up. On top of that, AGEs contribute to oxidative stress and create an inflammatory environment.