Healthy cooking — What is it?
The next ingredient of healthy eating is learning the best cooking techniques to maintain the nutrient content of your food.
Healthy eating isn’t just about what you eat, it’s also about how you prepare the food. Knowing healthy cooking techniques and how to substitute nutritious ingredients are important to eating a nutritious diet.
There are a variety of healthy cooking techniques and substitutions available to help you create delicious, good-for-you meals. Eating nutritiously doesn’t mean eating bland, unappealing foods — here are tips and techniques to help you get the most flavors out of a well-balanced diet.
Healthy cooking techniques
The best way to cook depends on what type of food (vegetables, meats, grains) you are cooking. When preparing food, avoid using fats (oils, butter, margarine, and other solid fats); instead, use water as much as possible in the cooking process. If fat must be used while cooking, choose unsaturated fats (these are typically liquid at room temperature), such as olive, canola, sunflower and safflower oils which can help lower cholesterol levels. Below are some of the healthier methods for preparing specific types of foods:
- Steaming — a quick and easy way to preserve nutrients when cooking fresh or frozen vegetables.
- Baking — good for cooking many types of foods, including meats, poultry, fish and potatoes. Using a little extra virgin olive oil and herbs and spices will make these foods taste great.
- Sautéing — a great alternative to steaming. Using a small amount of fat (olive or canola oil) gives the vegetables a nice taste while still providing nutrients.
- Stir-frying — a delicious way to cook vegetables, meats, and grains in one pan while using a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive or canola oil.
- Grilling — perfect when cooking meats, poultry, and fish. Lean cuts are healthier and prevent charring.
Remember: One gram of fat contains nine calories.
Healthy substitutes
Eating a well-balanced diet doesn’t mean you have to avoid eating your favorite meals. You can modify the recipes you love and continue enjoying them while improving your nutrition. There are several ways you can modify your meals, such as simply flavoring with herbs and spices instead of fats. You can also replace less nutritious ingredients with healthy substitutions for an easy way to make your recipes taste great and still be wholesome.
| Original ingredient | Substitution |
|---|---|
| Whole milk | Fat-free milk |
| Whole eggs | Egg whites |
| Fats (when baking) | Applesauce or bananas |
| White bread | Whole-wheat bread |
| Mayonnaise | Fat-free sour cream or yogurt |
| White rice | Brown rice |
With the help of the substitution chart above review your favorite recipes and see how you can make them healthier.
Updated: December 8, 2011