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Because of my young children, I have leaned towards healthy cooking choices. In addition, my husband who always eats out due to his frequent business meetings, desperately needs to lose weight. Being a Chinese and growing up with a mum who likes to cook, I have been educated in more ways than one on the various ways to whip up a dish. The following are some helpful tips that are practiced from my own kitchen.
The major thing to keep in mind when cooking is what hurts the foods and takes the nutrients out of them. You can eat a complete meal and end up not having adequate nutrients in any of the foods because of how you cooked. The major types of cooking that will burn away the vitamins include frying, boiling, saute methods and microwave. It is important to consider these methods before deciding on how you will cook your food.
One of the better methods used in preserving the nutrients in food is steaming. Steaming will actually preserve the vitamins and minerals that are in it. Because you don't have to add any oils or fats, it can also help you with taking away things that you don't need. A medium sized fish takes only 10 minutes of steaming time. It can be really that fast.
Boiling is also another healthy cooking method. However, do not overboil vegetables as this will kill all the nutrients and enzymes in them. If you need cooked vegetables, boil the water first. In boiling water, put your vegetables in for about 3 minutes. For some taste, you can always make a sauce to pour over the boiled vegetables.
Another thing that you should consider when cooking is what you are putting into the foods while they are on the stove. For example, adding extra salt can lead to a change in your blood pressure over time that isn't necessarily healthy. In relation to this, you should stay away form flavors and ingredients that have high sodium or fat as part of the recipe. Use the healthier sea salt if you really need to.
All of the foods that you eat should be balanced with raw fruits and vegetables. Having these on hand will help in adding to nutritious value in your diet. Adding a salad or different fruits is always important to your meals.
Healthy cooking does not necessarily translate to bland food. Sure the food may not be as tasty due to the less salt and the cooking method used. But there are ways to getting round them like using natural ingredients; such as, garlic, onions or herbal leaves for flavoring. Take the steam fish for example.
Add in stir-fried chopped garlic, ginger and spring onions for extra punch! As a meal planner, your job lies in seeking these healthy recipes out.
Cooking for better health has its rewards in better nutrition and healthier food for the body. If you and your family are working on implementing a healthier lifestyle, then it means adopting these cooking tips and making healthier eating choices. Everyone stands to benefit in being nourished, feeling energized and looking well.
