Impact of steam cooking on the phytochemical content, antioxidant activity and anticancer activity of three commonly consumed Brassica plants
2025
Yaneenart Suwanwong | Somchai Boonpangrak
Steam cooking is the classical and recommended method for human food due to its simplicity, low cost, and ability to preserve food quality. This study investigated how short-term and long-term steaming affects the phytochemical contents, antioxidant capacities, and anticancer properties of three commonly consumed Brassica vegetables: choy sum, cabbage, and Chinese cabbage. The findings showed that, among 3 vegetables, choy sum possesses the highest amount of key antioxidant substances—including total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and vitamin C (VIT C)—as well as the highest antioxidant activities, while cabbage possesses the highest amount of total glucosinolate content (TGL) and total isothiocyanate content (TIC). Notably, short-term steaming enhanced the antioxidant activities and phytochemical contents across all three vegetables. Long-term steaming resulted in either a slight increase or a decrease in phytochemical content, depending on the types of vegetables and substances tested. Cabbage demonstrated the strongest anticancer activity against a leukemic cell line (U937). However, the effect of steaming on anticancer activity is inconclusive. In summary, this study highlights short-term steaming as an optimal cooking method for maximizing the health-promoting properties of brassica vegetables. These insights may inform culinary recommendations aimed at enhancing the nutritional and biological benefits of a wide range of vegetables.
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