Is The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Healthy? A Decade Of Insights
Written by Irina Webb
Have you ever wondered if the convenience of a cooking appliance compromises the healthiness of your meals? As someone who’s been using an Instant Pot pressure cooker for nearly a decade, I’ve found it to be a reliable companion in preparing home-cooked meals. When I first purchased it, I was drawn to its promise of convenience, but I soon realized that its benefits extend well beyond time savings. Through thorough research and hands-on experience, I’ve come to appreciate how well it supports a healthy lifestyle—especially when compared to many conventional cooking appliances. Therefore, in this blog post, I will share with you why I consider the Instant Pot a healthy choice for your kitchen.
Is The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Healthy?
To begin with, the Instant Pot is a multi-functional kitchen appliance that has revolutionized home cooking. Introduced in 2009 by Robert Wang, a former software engineer, it combines several cooking methods into one device, serving as a:
- pressure cooker
- slow cooker
- rice cooker
- steamer
- sauté pan
- yogurt maker, and even
- a sterilizer.
Designed to reduce cooking time while preserving flavors and nutrients, the Instant Pot has become a staple in many households. At its core, this cooking appliance consists of an inner pot, a programmable control panel, and a locking lid that seals tightly to create a pressurized environment. This increased pressure raises the boiling point of water, allowing food to cook faster and more evenly.
Specifically, at high-pressure setting, the working temperature inside the pot is 239-244ºF (115-118ºC), and at low-pressure setting, it is 229-233ºF (110-112ºC) as compared to the boiling point of water 212ºF (100ºC) at sea level. The result is tender, flavorful dishes prepared in a fraction of time, unlike the traditional cooking methods, making it a convenient option for busy individuals and families.
Nevertheless, a common concern with pressure cooking is the potential loss of nutrients due to high temperatures. However, research indicates that pressure cooking can actually preserve or even enhance the nutritional content of food. In fact, pressure cooking minimizes contact with water and reduces cooking time, helping foods retain their essential nutrients. Let’s look into science.
Does A Pressure Cooker Destroy Nutrients?
For instance, this 2003 study looked at how different cooking methods affect the healthy plant compounds (like flavonoids and phenolic acids) in broccoli. Researchers compared steaming, microwaving, conventional boiling, and high-pressure boiling. They found that microwaving caused the highest nutrient loss—up to 97% of flavonoids were destroyed. Boiling also led to significant losses. While high-pressure boiling caused some nutrient leaching into the water, it preserved more as compared to microwaving and conventional boiling.
Furthermore, this 2016 study explored how well our bodies can absorb iron and zinc from cowpeas after different cooking methods. It found that cooking cowpeas in a pressure cooker without soaking them first significantly improved iron absorption—up to 44%, compared to just 9% when cooked in a regular pan after soaking. Zinc was more bioaccessible than iron overall, with over 52% absorption possible even with regular pan cooking. The key takeaway is that pressure cooking is much more effective than traditional cooking methods at making the iron in cowpeas easier for the body to absorb.
Additionally, a 1995 study and a 1997 study both examined how various storage and cooking methods impact the levels of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and beta-carotene in leafy greens—including spinach, amaranth, Bathua, and fenugreek. Both studies found that pressure cooking and shorter blanching times consistently stood out as the most effective methods for retaining these essential vitamins across all types of greens tested.
In sum, the key factors contributing to nutrient retention in pressure cooking include shorter cooking times, reduced exposure to water, and the sealed environment that minimizes nutrient loss. Pressure cooking raises the boiling point of water, reducing the time of food exposure to heat, thereby preserving sensitive nutrients.
Are The Instant Pot Materials Safe?
When it comes to cookware, the materials used are crucial for health and safety. Commonly, the materials for a pressure cooker insert – where the food goes – are aluminum, ceramic non-stick, or stainless steel. Out of these three, stainless steel is the healthiest, in my opinion.
First, stainless steel is known for its durability and resistance to corrosion. Second, it is considered one of the safest options for cookware and is used by professional chefs around the world. Third, it is less likely to react with acidic ingredients.
In contrast, some non-stick coatings can degrade over time, potentially releasing toxic compounds. And aluminum is bioaccumulative, linked to Alzheimer’s, and may contribute to the body’s depletion of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Use my Safe Cookware Guide That Makes Sense for healthy cookware choices.
Keep in mind that, though generally a safer cookware option, stainless steel can release small amounts of chromium, iron, and nickel during cooking—especially with longer cooking times. Iron and chromium are essential nutrients, but nickel is not, and some individuals may be sensitive or allergic to it. The good news is that pressure cooking involves much shorter cooking times, which greatly reduces metal leaching. For even less exposure, it’s best to use the “quick release” method after cooking and always follow the safety instructions included with your appliance.
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What Is The Difference Between A Pressure Cooker And A Slow Cooker?
While both pressure cookers and slow cookers are popular kitchen appliances, they operate on different principles and have distinct advantages.
Specifically, a pressure cooker uses high pressure and temperature to cook food quickly. This method is ideal for tenderizing tough cuts of meat and preserving nutrients. The sealed environment also reduces the need for added fats and oils. Conversely, a slow cooker uses low heat over an extended period to cook food. This method is excellent for developing deep flavors in dishes like stews and soups.
However, slow cookers often have ceramic inserts, which may have heavy metal contaminants. Therefore, an Instant Pot with a stainless steel insert and a “slow cook” mode offers a safer alternative. There are a few important things to know to get the best results, though.
Namely, using a glass lid for slow cooking is better than the pressure-cooking lid because the latter forms a tighter seal. A standard glass lid (sold separately) allows better moisture evaporation and mimics a traditional slow cooker more closely. If you are using the pressure lid, leave the valve in the “venting” position so pressure doesn’t build.
Also note that the Instant Pot slow cook function runs at slightly lower temperatures than traditional slow cookers, so recipes might take longer. Some users find that the “More” setting best mimics the “Low” setting on standard slow cookers.
Lastly, avoid recipes that depend heavily on exact slow cooker temperature timing unless you’ve tested them with your pressure cooker first.
My Experience With An Instant Pot
In 2017, I purchased an Instant Pot model that underwent testing for heavy metals. The results indicated non-detectable levels of lead, mercury, and cadmium in the surfaces that come into contact with food. This testing provided assurance regarding the safety of the materials used in the appliance. For full transparency, the lid does contain a silicone ring that’s essential for maintaining pressure during cooking. While the ring doesn’t come into direct contact with food, steam can condense on it and potentially drip into the food during the lid removal. I try to be mindful and minimize any drips when opening the pot.
My Favorite Dishes
I have used my pot for a wide range of home-cooked, nutritious, and healthy meals. Here are my favorite dishes:
- Vegetable Stews: I combine a variety of vegetables and legumes for a hearty, nutrient-rich meal. These are nutrient-dense, comforting meals that cook in under 30 minutes. Great for getting your daily dose of fiber, iron, and plant protein.
- Whole Grains: Perfect for a healthy, hearty breakfast or as a base for salads or side dishes – quinoa, oats, millet, and other grains come out soft and creamy, without having to stir or watch the pot.
- Lean Proteins: The cooker prepares chicken, turkey, or fish quickly while retaining moisture and flavor.
- Beans and Lentils: You can cook dried beans and lentils without the need for soaking, preserving their nutritional value.
- Soups and Broths: Use the opportunity to create flavorful soups and broths by extracting nutrients from bones and vegetables. Rich in collagen, amino acids, and minerals, bone broth made in the Instant Pot takes just a few hours (instead of 24+ in a slow cooker) thanks to the high pressure, which raises the boiling point and extracts nutrients efficiently.
- Homemade Yogurt: If your model includes this function, it’s a great way to make additive-free, probiotic-rich yogurt at home.
Conclusion: How Safe Is The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker?
In My Opinion, A Pressure Cooker With A Stainless Steel Insert Is A Safe And Healthy Option For Preparing Home-Cooked Meals.
In conclusion, the Instant Pot pressure cooker is a safe, versatile, and health-conscious appliance that supports nutrient preservation and minimizes exposure to harmful materials when used properly. Its efficient cooking methods preserve nutrients, and when made of stainless steel, it meets my safety standards.
Another major plus is its multi-functionality. Indeed, it replaces multiple kitchen gadgets by combining the roles of a slow cooker, sauté pan, steamer, yogurt maker, rice cooker, and more. This consolidation of appliances not only saves space and money, but also reduces the need to rely on cookware materials that may be less safe, like ceramic or non-stick coatings. In essence, it helps simplify a health-conscious kitchen setup. Remove the lid carefully, though, to prevent the water condensed on the silicone ring of the lid from dripping into the food.
In terms of what you can make, it excels with a wide array of nutritious, home-cooked dishes. Whether you’re preparing vegetable stews, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes, or broths, it allows you to retain vital nutrients while saving time. It’s also ideal for batch cooking and meal prep, making it easier to stick to a whole-food diet.
You can find some options of Instant Pot Pressure Cookers in my Amazon storefront.
Feel free to explore the I Read Labels For You blog, where you’ll find valuable guidance on non-toxic living. Be sure to check out my main shop and my easily accessible e-books created to support and empower you in making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices. You can also join my free email updates to receive exclusive content, special offers, and practical tips..
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The instant pot has a tri ply bottom with aluminum. Do you feel this is safe?
Thank you!
Aluminum is used as a heating element as a middle layer. It does not touch the food; hence, there is no leaching.
Hi Irina! Thank you for all the work that you do to help us consumers make healthier choices!
Quick question: how often (if ever) should we replace the Instant Pot Stainless Steel inner cooking pot?
I’ve read that stainless steel should last a lifetime if cared for properly. Is that true or can it start leaching toxins into food after some time?
Thank you!
Hi Ana! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels for You and for your kind feedback! As for stainless steel cookware, we are of the opinion that with proper use and care, stainless steel lasts a lifetime without having to be replaced. We hope this helps!
Hi Irina,
thank you for your information .. so so helpful. Just wondering whether there is a concern in relation to the plastic valve and whether you feel it emits anything nasty in the air. I am allergic to chemicals so thats why Im asking. Thank you, Kim
Hi Kim! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels for You! Emission is possible, but whether it will affect you depends on how sensitive you are. In our case, we do not smell any emissions. And just for your information, there is also a silicon ring inside the lid. We hope this helps!
Hi Irina! I generally don’t post comments but as a food-health obsessed person, this has to be one of the best articles on pressure cookers and you made it so easily accessible and clearly you researched it super well~. I’ll definitely subscribe to your website. Thank you for your article and free information! I can stop my research now (LOL)
xo Yasmine
Hi, Yasmine! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels for You! We really appreciate your kind words about us and our work: we are happy to be of help! Thank you for your subscription!
Hi, I have an instant pot with a non stick insert. I assume this is ceramic? I’m curious how bad this is and if I need to replace it
Thank you for trusting me with your product decisions. ☺️ As a small business owner, I don’t have the resources to provide effective free advice/consultation in the comments. I already provide a ton of free resources on my blog. Please use my website menus and type your keyword in the website search engine to locate the information you’re looking for. For further assistance, please book an email product review or phone/Zoom consultation. Thank you for respecting my time and supporting our mission to improve the safety of consumer products. 🙏 🙌 💗
As a Newbie, I am constantly browsing online for articles that can benefit me. Thank you
Does the silicone ring make the instant pot safe? No chemicals being leached into the food when cooking at high temps and pressure?
Hi, Sal: silicone ring is not ideal. The good news is that it is not in contact with food or liquid. When you open the pressure cooker, try to prevent the condensation from dripping into your food. ~Irina
Hi Irina, i plan on ordering an Instapot, and thank you for always including the links. Was thinking of getting the Instapot Duo Nova, because it specifies this model is better for beginners. Would this model be considered as safe as the Duo? I value your recommendations!
Thanks,
Valerie
Hi I am searching and trying to find out about the stainless steal in my instant pot. I have tested high for molygdenum. Can my instant pot be causing this and is there any tests to confirm. I was off the chart is what my nurse practitioner said. I do eat a lot of mung beans and lentils but I have hard time believing that is the root cause .
Thanks for the informative post. Is a silicone bowl stable enough to use as a pressure cooker liner in the IP? I’ve read that there are different grades; do you know how to buy these? Thanks again for the work you do.
Hi, Deb: it is not ideal but at least it is not touching the food. When I open it up, I tried to move away the lid quickly so condensation does not drip into the food. ~Irina
Hi is cooking meat in the instapot safe? I wasn’t sure because of it cooking so fast??
Thank you!
Hi, Ana: I believe it is. Although I found that it does not taste good. I use Instant Pot mostly for beans. ~Irina
I just recently found your site and I have to tell you – I’m super impressed with the amount of consumer information and research that you provide for your readers. As a long time holistic health enthusiast and researcher, I’ve become quite frustrated with the multitude of unhealthy/toxic products routinely marketed to unsuspecting consumers. Thank you for your due diligence. I’m adding you to my dependable list of go-to sites for quality, trustworthy info.
This is nice to hear, Linda. I hope you will sign up so we can keep in touch and continue the conversation: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/subscribe/ ~Irina
What did the tests shows for nickel leaching in foods in the Instant Pot? I’m allergic to nickel.
I don’t have tests for the nickel. Generally speaking, if you are allergic to nickel, you should not be using stainless steel. ~Irina
Saladmaster cookware has Titanium coating where the food will touch while cooking on cooking surface, protecting you from leaching metals that are in stainless steel. It is also 316 grade stainless steel which is a higher grade stainless steel. Saladmaster is also lifetime warranty. You only invest once.
What is your thinking on cooking acidic foods in the instant pot? I add vinegar to my bones when making stock but have read that this encourages leaching of metals into the food. I purchased the vita clay for this reason but now cannot get a super low simmer. So discouraging!
I add vinegar and taste fine. Yes, you are right that the acidity of vinegar may increase leaching metals such as nickel, chromium, and iron, which is not ideal, but not as bad as lead and cadmium. While iron and chromium are essential nutrients for which stainless steel may be useful, nickel is not needed for our health.
This study determined that the amounts of chromium and nickel significantly increase with longer cooking times, with the use of new cookware, and with cooking acidic foods. While generally these amounts are under the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels, some people may have adverse reactions such as dermatitis even when the exposure amounts are under the established tolerable upper intake levels. A recent heavy metal test, which shows how much if any heavy metals my body has accumulated over time, shows that I do have some nickel, but it is within the safe level.
Does it help? What do you think? ~Irina
I have just tested positive for lead and cadmium . I am trying to find out where I have been coming into contact with these two heavy metals. I use a ninja three in one. Do you have any knowledge on this unit? I also use a keurig 2.0 and the purple and blue ball canning jars to drink out of.
Hi, Jill: You came to the right place. There are a lot of resources for your here. Did you take a blood test or a challenge test? Is it your ongoing exposure? I understand Ninja is a slow cooker with a ceramic insert. Ceramics is always a suspect for traces of lead and cadmium unless they show test reports. I think you should start with most common and significant places of lead and cadmium exposure. Have you looked into your water? Here is a test I have done on my water. They have a sale today. Also, you might find my journey interesting. Know that I can consult with you on the phone to go over the details and devise a practical plan for you. Let me know what you think. Good luck! ~Irina
I bought the ip, Just got it but haven’t used yet. Im actually allergic to nickel now I’m wondering if I should return it.
Hi, Elsie: if you are allergic to nickel, you should not be using stainless steel. ~Irina
Hi
I follow Tamara’s work and also bought the IP because of her testing. Do you know if she tested the sealing ring and the plastic piece that attaches to the floating valve? As soon as I opened mine the smell of plastic was very noticeable. Very much like the plastic smell in pvc shower liners.
Thanks!
Hi, Adi, thank you for sharing. I did not smell anything in my Instant Pot. ~Irina
The IP sealing ring isn’t PVC, it’s silicone, which makes it very stable even at high temperatures.
We’ve really enjoyed our IP, but have one tip to share. Black beans cook too rapidly to release all of their flavorful black color into the broth. If you leave the beans to soak in water earlier in the day before cooking, the color will release just fine on cooking.
Hi, I recently bought a Midea pressure cooker, more or less the same things as instant pot. It is leaving a smell in the food ( same smell as in chinese import shops, sort of camphorous & grassy). Gross, it won’t go away even after cooking 5-6 times in it. I’m sending it back. The pot is still and I cleaned the silicone ring, I wonder if the smell is coming from the plastic outer??
Any idea what could be causing this?
Hi Irina, I’ve read your post before and also looked at Tamara’s website, I decided to buy this pressure cooker, but there is a newer model with an added sterilize function on Amazon. I purchased that one, but have not used it. Do you believe it is safe as far as lead and other heavy metals because it is the same company and practically the same product?
Probably… ~Irina
Hi Irina! I just bought POWER PRESSURE COOKER XL and then read your blog. Im very concern about it. What do you think about this pressure cooker? THANK YOU!!!
Hi, Maryna: I am not familiar with this brand. Since you have it, could you tell us what materials come in contact with food? Does it also stainless steel bowl? ~Irina
Thank you Irina. You rock with your posts. I always look forward to your new posts .
I just dont have space for one more appliance however I need pressure cooker. Do you have recommendation of gas stove pressure cookers ? I see Tamara’s blog that lots of pressure cookers have been tested positive for lead so I want to be sure before I get one.
Hi, Pallavi: Thank you for asking. I don’t have a recommendation for a gas stove pressure cooker right now. But I put it on the list of things to research. Is anybody else interested in a gas stove pressure cooker? ~Irina
Hi Irina,
I am also interested in a gas stove pressure cooker. The part that touches the food to be made of a stainless steel, that’s also without Aluminum. Because as you know, that also accumulates in our body, and can cause all sorts of problems. Including memory loss, and continued anemia, if one has it.
Thank you so much,
Azzy