<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> High - altitude cooking is the opposite of pressure cooking in that the boiling point of water is lower at higher altitudes due to the decreased atmospheric pressure . This may require an increase in cooking times or temperature and alterations of recipe ingredients . For home cooking, this effect becomes relevant at altitudes above approximately 2,000 feet (610 m). At that altitude, water boils at approximately 208 ° F (98 ° C) and adjustments sometimes need to be made to compensate for the reduced air pressure / water boiling point . </P> <P> At sea level water boils at 100 ° C. For each 500 ft (~ 150 m) increase in elevation, the boiling point is lowered by 0.5 ° C. For 8,000 ft (~ 2500 m) elevation, water boils at 92 ° C. Boiling as a cooking method must be adjusted or alternatives applied . Vegetables and some starches will simply take longer to cook while rice and legumes (beans) need a pressure cooker . Pasta will need a pressure cooker . </P>

The reason behind decrease in the boiling point of water at higher altitudes is