Steamed broccoli and roasted cauliflower are two of my favorite vegetable dishes; I could eat them every night of the week. But serve them up raw, and I won't touch them. So goes the veggie lover's dilemma: It's a common belief that heat destroys powerful nutrients in vegetables, but cooking makes them tastier.

First, let's clear up that myth. According to Scientific American, cooking actually enhances the nutritional value of several different kinds of vegetables. Powerhouse antioxidants like lycopene and cartenoids increase when veggies like tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, spinach and peppers are boiled or steamed. On the other hand, my beloved broccoli might actually be healthier raw, since cooking destroys an important enzyme. And while cooking boosts the beta carotene in carrots, it lowers the overall level of polyphenols.

Confused yet? Me too. Scientific American cuts to the chase for us: Cooked and raw veggies both offer a boost in certain nutrients and antioxidants. If you're unlikely to eat vegetables at all unless they're cooked, then by all means, toss some extra broccoli into your stir fry. But if your idea of a great snack is a bowl of chopped, raw veggies, then go ahead and eat up. The more you enjoy your veggies -- cooked or raw -- the more that you'll eat.

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Sometimes, it's not just what you eat, it's how you prepare it. If you want a french fry, a baked version is undeniably healthier than a deep-fried version.

The queen of all things domestic, Martha Stewart, has recipes for every healthy cooking method:

• Baking. When you bake foods rather than fry or other fat-adding cooking methods, you can reduce your overall calorie intake. (Now if only cakes and cookies could be considered healthful just because they're baked.) Some of the healthy baking recipes on Martha Stewart Living include Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts and Parmesan Coated Sweet Potato Fries.
• Steaming. When vegetables are just lightly steamed, you can retain many of the nutrients. Some recipes to try are Steamed Broccoli With Miso-Sesame Sauce and Green Beans With Golden Raisins.
• Stir-Frying. Stir-fries are such a quick and easy go-to meal. And you have complete control over how much fat you add to the dish. Try out Brown Rice Stir Fry.
• Sauteing. When you use healthy fats like olive oil, sauteing can be a light and healthy way to cook. Give Cinnamon-Spiced Moroccan Chicken and Saute-Steamed Swiss Chard a try.

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I've never entirely trusted the microwave. For example? I won't stand near it while it's running -- something I heard years ago about radiation and microwaves really stuck in my head. And if I have a choice between using it and conventional oven, I usually choose the latter. But apparently, my hesitation towards the microwave has been unfounded. Studies show that using the microwave is one of the best ways to cook your veggies because it's the least destructive to the nutrients.

This news makes it even easier to enjoy your veggies. But make sure to not use too much water because some vitamins can seep out into it. 1-2 tablespoons is fine, and you don't need to use water when cooking raw veggies.

Ok, I guess I was wrong about the microwave. But I still like steaming my veggies -- what about you?

(Via Fitsugar)

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Steam therapy can do wonders for your skin, and is also a great way to relax. However, a nice steam is hard to come by -- and even when you do find it, the treatment can be a little pricey.

But that was before the Compact Sauna. Not only will this fit in your house, it's collapsible -- allowing you to fold it up and tuck it away when you're not using it. It apparently only takes 6 minutes to set up, can get as hot as 115 degrees, and will run off a standard electrical outlet. Awesome!

And, while it's not the most inexpensive thing you'll ever buy -- at only $340, you don't have to be filthy rich to enjoy a little luxury in the comfort of your own home.

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Inflammation and stress have been proven to have harmful effects on a person's health, and now a group of experts have put together evidence that how you prepare food is just as important as what you're preparing when it comes to eating healthy. Cooking foods at high temperatures without water (like frying or baking) increases the amount of AGEs (advanced gycation end-products) present, which are directly linked to increased inflammation and oxidative stress levels. Cooking foods by steaming, boiling, and stewing (or better yet, eating raw and fresh whenever possible) yields much fewer AGEs.

This is a hard one for me, because although I love steamed veggies I really love everything baked and stir-fried too!

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