Healthy cooking - tips and ideas

Try some of these healthy cooking ideas, and you will soon see that there are many more things you can do with healthy cooking then you originally may have thought. And in the end, you will wonder why it took you so long to start healthy cooking.

Remember, when heat is applied, many vitamins and minerals are burnt away. The higher the temperature and the longer you cook it, the fewer nutrients you will have in your meal. It is important then not to overcook your meals, try to cook your meals in the shortest time possible and with the minimum amount of water possible. However, dry cooking methods such as roasting and baking are perhaps the worst method, as they require a longer cooking time. Microwaving, frying, boiling and sautéing are some of the methods that you need to consider before you cook. Steaming and stir-frying are better choices, as they will allow the natural nutrition to remain in your food.

Choose generic or store brands of healthy groceries, such as whole-grain cereal and frozen vegetables. Look high and low for them—the most costly options are shelved at eye level. Buy fresh produce in season. Try local farmers’ markets for fresher, less expensive options. Frozen vegetables are healthy and even more affordable than fresh produce, and you can get out-of-season vegetables less expensively.

Choose quality vegetable oils. Avoid hydrogenated oils and fats, refined margarines and oils, animal oils and fats and shortenings. Hydrogenated oils are manufactured oils. Studies have found that they attack the arteries with a risk of heart disease, the kidneys, liver, spleen, intestine and gallbladder.

It is important to consider the oxidation that occurs in vegetables once they are cut, as oxidation will neutralize the vitamins. For this reason, try not to cut or chop your vegetables way ahead of time.

Decrease the use of salt. Prepared seasoning are very high on salt and this can cause you certain illnesses such as blood pressure. Avoid too much use of soy sauce. If you want to add flavors, you can use herbs, spices. Remember the importance of using fresh foods rather than of using processed foods.

Don’t deprive yourself of dessert! It doesn’t mean endless munching on chocolate chip cookies. The following are satisfying, good-for-you desserts: Pack a container of chocolate pudding. Bring ‘Nilla Wafer cookies and sliced banana – spread pudding on cookies and bananas, and enjoy! Slice apples and sprinkle with cinnamon. Dip in honey or Cool Whipi.

Bon appetit & healthy life-style!