Cooking Light, Eating Healthy
October 5, 2008
Many restaurants these days are serving up super sized portions, so it’s no wonder that people have become used to ingesting large amounts of food every day. This is no problem if they are eating meals that are low in calories and generally nutritious. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work this way. Therefore it’s highly important that you choose healthful and low calorie foods when you eat at home, so you can minimize the damage from your restaurant splurges. It all starts with cooking light.
Light, healthy cooking relies on more than the ingredients you use; the oil you cook them with is also important. In fact, the oil can have a big impact on the nutritional value of the meal. Even though all your ingredients may be healthful, for example, veggies, lean meats and whole grains, if you add oil containing unhealthy fats, you’ll wind up having a meal that’s not so good for you.
Try these easy ways to make your meals healthy and light.
1. Pick Vegetable Oils
This is the most critical of the guidelines. Choose oil that’s vegetable based to guarantee that what you’re cooking your food with doesn’t have a negative effect on your health. These oils contribute to raising the levels of good cholesterol in your system. They aid in the proper performance of the cardiovascular system and balance out the bad cholesterol that we get from meats and animal fats.
2. Stay Away from Additives
As much as possible, avoid adding ingredients or seasonings to your food that aren’t natural. It contributes to the unhealthiness of the meal that you’re serving up. Artificial flavoring might heighten the flavor of the dish that you’re cooking but it can also result in kidney and liver ailments due to its elevated sodium content. Also steer clear of deep fried batter mixes as they boost the calorie content of the food but not its nutritional value.
3. Cut the Meat
Make a practice of choosing vegetables and seafood for your home cooking. Restrict meat consumption to a serving or less per day. In this way, you and your family will be consuming the protein that your bodies require but with less of the saturated fat found in meat. On the occasions when you do indulge in a piece of meat, look for ones that are lower in saturated fats. Generally, turkey and chicken (white meats) are considered more healthy than pork and beef (red meats). Among these two choices, your best bet is pork since it’s easier to trim the fat.
4. Smaller Portion Size
Another approach to healthy cooking is to make light meals, not just in terms of calories and fat, but also in quantity. This is particularly relevant when you’re cooking the main meal of the day. But take your time making this change. If you vary your diet too much it can cause health problems.
It’s also not recommended if you have young children. With little ones, it’s essential that you give them all the food they need to grow healthy and strong. This doesn’t mean overeating, but you shouldn’t control their calories unless your doctor gives the ok.
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