Sous vide cooking has become increasingly popular in recent years as an alternative cooking method that proponents say yields perfectly cooked food every time. But is sous vide actually healthier than traditional cooking methods? In this article, we’ll examine the potential health benefits and drawbacks of sous vide to find out.
What is sous vide cooking?
Sous vide is French for “under vacuum.” In sous vide cooking, food is sealed in an airtight plastic bag and then submerged in a water bath that is precisely temperature controlled with an immersion circulator. The food cooks slowly and evenly, resulting in food that is cooked perfectly edge to edge without over or undercooking.
Some key benefits of sous vide cooking include:
– Very precise temperature control results in evenly cooked food without hot or cold spots.
– Food is cooked in its own juices, resulting in intensified flavor and moisture.
– The vacuum sealing process allows food to be cooked for longer periods without losing moisture.
– Slow, low-temperature cooking allows connective tissues in meat to break down into gelatin, resulting in very tender textures.
Is sous vide cooking nutritionally superior?
There are a few reasons why sous vide cooking may result in food that retains more nutrients versus traditional cooking methods:
Minimal oxidation
Because food is sealed in an airtight bag, it is not exposed to oxygen during the sous vide process. Oxygen exposure can cause oxidation, which degrades certain nutrients like vitamins C and B6. The vacuum environment helps limit nutrient oxidation.
Shorter cooking times
The precise temperature control of sous vide means you can achieve perfectly cooked results with shorter cooking times. Longer cook times can result in greater nutrient breakdown. The shorter cooking times with sous vide helps better preserve nutrients.
Cooks at lower temperatures
Typical sous vide temperatures range from 130-180°F, whereas other wet cooking methods like boiling or braising use 212°F water. The lower heat helps preserve nutrient integrity. Enzymes and vitamins like vitamin C in particular break down faster at higher temperatures.
Minimizes leaching
Because food is sealed in a bag rather than submerged directly in water, there is less leaching of vitamins and minerals into the cooking liquid compared to boiling or braising. More nutrients remain in the food itself.
Research has shown some advantages of sous vide for nutrient retention:
– In one study, sous vide chicken was found to retain more vitamin B6 and B12 than oven roasted chicken.
– Multiple studies on sous vide vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and red cabbage have found higher retention of vitamin C compared to boiling.
– A study found sous vide beef retained slightly more iron than pan fried beef.
So while benefits may be modest, sous vide does appear to result in less nutrient breakdown during cooking.
Is food safer when cooked sous vide?
Proper food safety is critically important with any cooking method. Here are some factors to consider with sous vide:
Pasteurization
Pasteurization involves heating food to a specific temperature for a set amount of time to kill pathogens. With sous vide, the temperature control allows you to precisely pasteurize food. For example, heating chicken breasts to just 165°F for 10 minutes achieves safe pasteurization.
Bag seal
The vacuum sealed bags prevent pathogens that may be on the exterior of foods from contaminating the interior during cooking. As long as food is properly sealed, the cook is very safe.
Lower risk temperatures
Because food is held at 130-180°F during most of sous vide cooking, it remains in the “danger zone” of 40-140°F. However, pasteurization during the initial heating combined with the vacuum seal mitigate risk.
No cross-contamination
Individual vacuum sealed pouches prevent raw meat juices from contaminating other foods during the cook, which is a risk with traditional braising or boiling.
As with any cooking method, proper handling, sealing, and pasteurization temperatures are imperative for safety. Assuming proper procedures are followed, research indicates sous vide foods are safe.
Does sous vide result in less AGEs?
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are harmful compounds that form naturally in food during high heat cooking. They have been linked to increased inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Reducing AGEs in food is considered beneficial for health.
Cooking with moist heat, lower temperatures, and shorter cook times can all help limit AGE formation versus high, dry heat methods like grilling or broiling.
Research has found sous vide meat contained lower AGEs compared to grilling and other high temperature cooking:
– A study found sous vide chicken thighs had 5 times less AGEs than grilled chicken.
– Sous vide beef had lower AGEs than pan seared beef.
– Salmon cooked sous vide formed minimal AGEs compared to pan frying.
The more gentle heat and steam environment within sous vide bags lends itself to lower AGE production compared to exposed dry heat.
Does sous vide retain more moisture?
Maintaining moisture in food is important, as drying out can negatively impact texture and flavor. The hot water bath and vacuum sealed pouches used in sous vide help minimize moisture loss.
Benefits for moisture retention include:
– Vacuum sealing prevents evaporative moisture loss during prolonged cooking.
– Cooking at the food’s exact doneness temperature minimizes moisture squeezing out from overcooking.
– Collagen and gelatin retained during low, slow cooking help retain moisture.
Research shows sous vide does retain more moisture in foods:
– Beef roasts lost 35% less moisture sous vide versus oven roasting.
– Salmon retained 3-13% more moisture when cooked sous vide based on thickness.
– Chicken breast was significantly more moist than oven baked chicken in sensory tests.
The moist, enclosed environment clearly benefits moisture retention compared to traditional open-air cooking techniques.
Does sous vide alter the digestibility of food?
The breakdown of collagen into gelatin during prolonged sous vide cooking does appear to improve the digestibility of meats.
Gelatin is a hydrolyzed form of collagen that is more easily digested while still providing similar amino acids like glycine and proline. Research has found:
– Oxtail cooked sous vide had higher protein digestibility than boiled, attributed to increased gelatin.
– More collagen from lamb was converted to digestible gelatin with sous vide versus oven roasting.
– Glycine digestibility from pork shoulders improved with extended sous vide cooking times.
For vegetables and other plant foods, digestibility is unlikely to be affected by sous vide. But for tougher cuts of meat, sous vide does seem to increase digestibility through gelatin conversion.
Is there less oxidized cholesterol?
Cholesterol oxidation can occur when cholesterol is exposed to high heat, creating oxidized forms linked to greater atherosclerosis risk.
Cooking meat sous vide produces less cholesterol oxidation compared to other methods:
– Beef cooked sous vide had lower levels of cholesterol oxides versus grilling.
– Oxidized cholesterol increased 3 times more in oven roasted chicken versus sous vide chicken.
– Oxysterols in salmon were nearly eliminated using sous vide compared to pan frying.
The vacuum sealed bags prevent cholesterol in meat from oxidizing during sous vide cooking, which is a clear advantage over high heat cooking.
Is sous vide meat more tender?
Tenderness in meat comes down largely to the breakdown of collagen into gelatin, which requires prolonged moist cooking. The low temperatures used in sous vide are ideal for gradually softening collagen.
Research confirms this:
– Flank steak was significantly more tender cooked sous vide versus grilling.
– Short ribs were rated as more tender after 72 hours of sous vide cooking.
– Pork shoulders rated highest for tenderness after 24-48 hours in a sous vide bath.
– Salmon collagen breakdown occurred fastest at sous vide temperatures around 122°F compared to higher temps.
Sous vide’s precision temperature control clearly maximizes collagen conversion and tenderization compared to other cooking methods.
Downsides and considerations
While there are many potential health benefits to sous vide cooking, there are also some downsides and considerations to keep in mind:
– BPA and phthalates. Vacuum sealing bags/pouches often contain BPA and phthalates that can leach into food during heating. Using BPA-free bags can help limit exposure.
– Salt content. Seasoning is added before cooking, so any salt adheres to the food. This can increase sodium content of some dishes.
– Acrylamide in plant foods. Acrylamide is a carcinogen formed in starchy foods during high heat cooking. Though lower than frying, acrylamide can still form in sous vide plant foods.
– Loss of maillard flavors. The Maillard reaction produces complex, savory flavors but requires temperatures above the sous vide range. Some subtle flavors may not develop.
– Plastic waste. Significant plastic waste is generated from the vacuum sealing bags. Reusable silicone bags can help reduce waste.
– Time and energy use. While very hands-off, sous vide cooking requires many hours. The immersion circulator also uses continuous electricity during the long cook times.
Conclusion
Overall, research shows sous vide offers several benefits for nutritional quality and health when compared to conventional cooking methods:
– More nutrient retention
– Safe pasteurization
– Lower AGE formation
– Increased moisture retention
– Improved digestibility of meats
– Reduced cholesterol oxidation
– Maximized tenderness
The ability to cook at very precise temperatures in a sealed, oxygen-free environment gives sous vide cooking clear advantages for optimizing the nutritional quality of foods. However, there are some potential downsides like plastic waste, sodium content, and time/energy use that should be considered. Proper handling and temperature protocols are also essential to ensure food safety. But for most meats, fish, and veggies, sous vide can be a healthier cooking technique.