Health benefits of cooking food at a low temperature

The concept " low temperature”Implies that the cooking of food will never exceed 100ºC (boiling temperature of water). So the cooking range will be between 50ºC and 100ºC about. To carry out this technique, it is also important control the time since the lower the temperature, the longer it will take to cook the food and vice versa. In fact, each food has characteristics specific cooking. That is why it is important to balance the temperature and time to cook each food correctly and avoid the proliferation of bacteria.

Nutritional benefits

Less loss of thermolabile nutrients

We refer to vitamins and minerals that are more sensitive to high temperatures. This advantage is very interesting to carry out a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E).

Higher concentration of flavors

If we carry out this cooking at a low temperature in vegetables packed in vacuum bags, by not coming into contact with the cooking water, will retain their sodium content and will preserve better taste. Thanks to this no need to add salt as the vegetables will be naturally seasoned. This quality will be especially interesting in people with.

Prevents oxidation and rancidity

We can cook vacuum packed food avoiding its contact with oxygen and minimizing the generation of toxic substances that can occur when we cook meat or fish at high temperatures. Furthermore, in the case of foods rich in starch such as potatoes, if we cook them at high temperatures (greater than 120ºC) a substance is generated, which could be carcinogenic in high concentrations. Therefore, low-temperature cooking could be an alternative healthier to cook potatoes since it has been seen that frying potatoes at a low temperature reduces their acrylamide content by up to 63%

Do you have any risks?

Although most are advantages, it is necessary to know that low temperature cooking also has Some inconvenients. We know that food pathogens are usually found on the surface of food due to poor handling, so it is essential (especially vegetables) before cooking at a low temperature. Also, most of the bacteria (Clostridium botulinum, B. cereus, of the genus Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes, to give a few examples) they proliferate at temperatures between 4ºC and 54ºC. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out long cooking at temperatures above 55ºC and, ideally, higher than 68 ºC since at that temperature the bacteria cease their reproductive activity. Finally, for those of these foods, a second firing of the food before serving it either grilled or baked (reaching 70 ºC for 2 minutes) to carry out a "lacquer" or pasteurization that will eliminate a sufficient percentage of bacteria so that the food is no longer dangerous, especially for diners who may be more sensitive to food poisoning such as pregnant women, the elderly and young children.

• The “low temperature” concept implies that the cooking of food will never exceed 100ºC (boiling temperature of water).
• One of the advantages of this type of cooking is the lower loss of thermolabile nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are more sensitive to high temperatures.
• It is essential to wash and sanitize the product (especially vegetables) before cooking at low temperatures.

Judith Torrell Diploma in Human Nutrition Clinical Nutrition Specialist