When you say healthy food, it does not mean that you’ll be eating leaves all year round! You can actually eat and cook healthy without really sacrificing the foods that you love. The secret is in the way How To Cook Healthy Food.
Here are some tips that will help you cook food that you will not only love but your doctor will also love!
1. Stick to non-stick
Believe it or not, buying non-stick pans will help you cut down on the oil that you will be using for each cooking. Remember that though you are using the healthy oil like vegetable oil and canola oil, those are still oil and too much of it is not good for the heart especially for those who have history of high blood pressure or those with heart ailment.
2. Avoid frying
Still, even while using non-stick pans, it is also better to avoid cooking fried foods. Limit these kinds of meals to perhaps just once a week. Rather,, make it a habit to steam or microwave your food not only to keep the oil and the grease but also to keep the nutrients packed inside. Grilling is also another healthy way to cook your food.
If you do need to deep fry, make sure that you drain the food thoroughly to get rid of the oils. Use a strainer for this. Some people also place deep fried food items inside microwave ovens or turbo broilers so that they will be able drip.
3. Avoid processed food
As much as you can, try to minimize cooking processed foods like hotdogs, bacon and hams; or those that are bought in cans. These food items contain preservatives that can be bad for the health so make sure that you do not eat them all the time. Canned items are also a no-no as they contain chemicals that are not so healthy for the body.
It is a better idea to cook fresh foods that you have bought from the grocery such as meats and fishes. When buying, choose the leaner cuts. With chicken, pick the skinless ones to lessen the temptation.
4. Go for the low in fat
When choosing ingredients such as milk or cheese for your pastries, make sure that you pick the low fat ones as these are healthier. When the recipes call for a thickener, buy yogurt instead of creamer.
There are actually a lot of less fatty versions of food items in the market. Ask your local store about it.
5. Lessen the salt and the flavoring
If you can avoid, do not anymore put special flavoring as these products contain monosodium glutamate that is not that healthy. You should also lessen the salt as too much of it can lead to kidney problems. Try recipes on the DASH Diet which take care of just that!
Use vegetables and fruits instead such as lemon to enhance the flavor. Herbs and other natural spices are also much healthier. If you have to use salt, opt for iodizes salt as this can be a good source of iodine for the body.
6. Healthy garnishes
Some people use chips as garnish for some dishes. Avoid this. Use nuts instead for a healthier alternative.
7.Go for wheat
In buying bread for the home, opt for the wholegrain bread or the wheat breads as these contain more fibers.
