The Instant Pot has become a kitchen essential over the past few years, as the appliance significantly reduces the time and effort to make a home-cooked meal or staples like steel-cut oats and yogurt. The Instant Pot has even helped people eat healthier and lose weight! But there are some concerns out there that the pressure cooker has some major drawbacks when it comes to nutrient retention.
Researchers have been studying the effects of pressure cooking on nutrient retention for more than 70 years, and their findings are still pretty inconclusive. We took a look at several studies to help determine if the Instant Pot deserves a rightful spot in your kitchen. But first, let's take a look at how your Instant Pot works and dispel a major pressure cooking myth.
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How the Instant Pot Works
The Instant Pot is comprised of three elements-an inner pot, cooker base, and lid-that create a highly pressurized environment for your food. When heated, the liquid inside the inner pot produces steam and creates pressure buildup. This helps your food cook faster and more efficiently. The appliance also has a sealing ring that ensures pressure and heat are building at safe levels and prevents your Instant Pot from exploding or overheating during cook time.
Contrary to popular belief, the Instant Pot doesn't utilize high-heat cooking temperatures. According to the Instant Pot website, the appliance actually functions around 250 degrees Fahrenheit. So we can go ahead and dispel the myth that cooking meat in the Instant Pot will produce carcinogens like other high-heat cooking methods can. Because the pressure cooker traps steam and heat, the high-pressure environment raises the boiling point of water faster than other cooking techniques and therefore doesn't require a high temperature to cook properly.
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Can the Instant Pot Have a Negative Effect on Nutrient Retention?
Possibly. Since we just mythbusted the idea that pressure cookers operate at high temperatures, we can ignore the thought that its high-heat temperatures could also lead to nutrient loss. Pretty much any type of cooking is going to alter the nutritional composition of your food at some level, but high-heat methods are likely going to have the biggest impact.
However, some methods of cooking have also shown to make certain nutrients more readily available and certain foods easier to digest. Here are several studies concerning pressure cooking:
- One 1995 study found pressure cooking was better than blanching and searing when it came to preserving Vitamin C and A content in spinach.
- A 2004 study found beans to be more digestible-and the nutrients more readily absorbed by the body-when pressure cooking versus microwaving. Neither of the methods affected nutrient retention.
- A 2009 study found pressure cooking and boiling saw the greatest nutrient losses, compared to griddling, baking, or microwaving vegetables.
- A 2010 study found pressure cooking was better than boiling for nutrient retention, improving digestibility and reducing antinutrient compounds.
It looks like there's a pretty good argument for saying pressure cooking is a better option than boiling, blanching and steaming, while there are some mixed results comparing it to microwaves or pan/griddle cooking.
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Keltha Shelke, PhD, a food scientist and spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists, gave us her expert take on how pressure cooking can affect nutrient retention of a variety of foods, reminding us all cooking methods do to some extent:
- With vegetables and fruits, the heat-sensitive nutrients (e.g., vitamin C, folate and bioactive phytonutrients) are generally most susceptible to degradation during pressure cooking. Consuming the cooking water can help restore some of these losses.
- In the case of grains and legumes, although the vitamins and heat-sensitive vitamins and phytonutrients are vulnerable to deterioration, the net result of pressure-cooking is a positive nutritional gain-from the increased digestibility of the macronutrients (protein, fiber and starch) and the increased bioavailability of the essential minerals.
- Pressure-cooked meat-based dishes show a significant reduction in unsaturated fat contents, but it appears that iron is not lost.
- In addition to making foods like grains and legumes more digestible, pressure cooking does not create any of the unhealthy chemicals associated with baking and grilling methods.
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The Bottom Line
Ultimately, pressure cooking seems like a safe option, as short cooking times and low temperatures can help prevent nutrient loss.
While it might not be the best option out there for nutrient retention, you should never feel bad about making a home-cooked meal in your Instant Pot, as there is no "perfect" preparation method for food. Meals made at home are pretty much always going to be healthier than anything on a takeout menu or at a restaurant, so give yourself a pat on the back for taking your health into your own hands!
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FAQs
Since pressure cooking doesn't require a much higher temperature and shortens the cooking time, there is less time for nutrient loss. For this reason, pressure cooking may actually preserve nutrients better than other methods of cooking.
Do you lose nutrients in an Instant Pot? ›
No, it doesn't
The speediness at which Instant Pots cook might seem like a cause for concern, but according to the majority of scientific evidence, it isn't. One 1995 study dubbed pressure cooking the best out of several other cooking methods because the pressure-cooked foods retained more nutrients than the others.
Does cooking food in a pressure cooker destroy nutrients? ›
Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method for preparing your food on many levels — including the nutritional level, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says.
Does pressure cooking destroy nutrients in bone broth? ›
Instant pot bone broth can be as healthy as regular made versions. You can achieve the same gel consistency as you can with a traditional long simmer in a stock pot. This is the hallmark of a high protein and quality bone broth with natural collagen.
Does Instant Pot leach chemicals? ›
Myth: The high pressure cooking process increases the risk of toxic chemical release. Fact: Pressure cooking in an Instant Pot is designed to be safe, with built-in features to prevent any risk of chemical leaching or toxic substance release during the cooking process.
What is the disadvantage of Instant Pot? ›
Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.
Does Instant Pot destroy vitamin C? ›
Okay, but what about pressure-cooking vegetables? Vitamin C is one of the more heat-sensitive nutrients. Sauté spinach or amaranth leaves in a pan for 30 minutes, and about 95 percent of the vitamin C is destroyed, whereas 10 minutes in a pressure cooker wiped out only about 90 percent.
What foods should not be cooked in a pressure cooker? ›
Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.
What are the disadvantages of pressure cooker food? ›
Disadvantages of cooking food in a pressure cooker
However, starchy foods may form acrylamide, a harmful chemical, when pressure cooked. Consumption of this chemical on a regular basis may lead to health issues like cancer, infertility, and neurological disorders.
Is it better to steam or pressure cook vegetables? ›
Three-quarters were wiped out by boiling, but less than half were eliminated by pressure cooking. Steaming beat both methods, retaining more nutrients than boiling or pressure cooking, because the greens weren't dunked in water, which can leach out the nutrients.
Are electric pressure cookers safe? Yes, electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot are generally safe and easy to use.
Does a pressure cooker destroy collagen? ›
The short answer is no, but there are some factors to consider to make sure you're getting the most out of your bone broth. Using fresh bones, adjusting cooking times and pressure, adding acidic ingredients, and utilizing natural release can all help preserve collagen when pressure cooking.
Is cooking vegetables in a pressure cooker healthy? ›
The high pressure also helps to break down the fibers in the vegetables, making them easier to digest. Overall, vegetables cooked in a pressure cooker can be a healthy and convenient way to prepare them.
Why does Instapot have prop 65 warning? ›
This model does come with a Prop 65 warning, as a small amount phthalates are present in the power cord. The food contact materials are standard stainless steel and aluminum. All Instant Brand products are compliant to all FDA standards. Helpful?
What model of Instant Pot is being recalled? ›
The recall was announced on March 1, 2018 for the “Instant Pot Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicookers” after at least 107 reports involving overheating, including 5 incidents that caused property damage. The problem is caused by a manufacturing defect that allows that cooker to overheat and melt on the underside of the unit.
Are Instapots safer than pressure cookers? ›
With stovetop cookers there's still a small risk of pushing the pressure too high and blowing the thing up, but the Instant Pot doesn't have that danger. And it also has different pressure modes, so you can set it at low pressure for things like soup and high pressure when you're in a hurry.
Is Instant Pot cooking healthier? ›
Pressure cooking reduces the cooking time for most foods. This shorter cooking time can result in fewer nutrients being leeched out of food during the cooking process. Put another way, your food keeps more of the nutrients inside.
Why don t chefs use Instant Pot? ›
They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.
What is healthier, a slow cooker or an Instant Pot? ›
When it comes to preserving nutrients, the Instant Pot's high-pressure cooking generally wins the battle. If you're looking for quick, healthy meals with minimal nutrient loss, the Instant Pot is your go-to. For rich, complex flavors and fall-off-the-bone tenderness, the slow cooker takes the crown.
Does Instant Pot break down lectins? ›
The great news is that you can use your Instant Pot to reduce lectins, decrease your reactivity to these foods and potentially add them back into your diet.
