Hello there!
Now that the holiday season is over, we would like to give you some vital information on different cooking methods - which ones are best for your health, and that of your family, and which ones are harmful. Vital because you are what you eat,
how you eat it, and how you cook it!
Before we get into cooking, for your interest, Roshmi also runs an online gallery with her sister (Baidehi), primarily exhibiting the work of contemporary Indian artists.
Indian art is beginning to command a lot of attention worldwide, and for good reason. Art-lovers will recognize some of the well-known artists on the website.
If you have an interest in art, we invite you to view canvases. http://www.contemporaryart-india.com
Now, here is the cooking information for your guidance:
The right foods are obviously those with good nutritional value, but the way they are prepared can have a huge impact on your health.
Some cooking methods will preserve the food’s nutrients and flavour. Others can actually diminish nutrient content and create harmful substances within your food.
Do you microwave? Many believe microwaving is a fast and convenient way to cook food without a lot of extra oils. But it is also thought that microwaving can change the chemical structure of food in unknown, potentially negative, ways. The process may also destroy fragile nutrients. Our advice is to avoid it wherever possible.
It is generally preferable to cook foods at lower temperatures than higher temperatures. This is because the nutrients are better preserved. High heat can cause the oil you use to be damaged (oxidized), thus posing health risks.
Outlined below are some of the most popular cooking methods. We start with the healthiest methods and end with the methods best avoided, if possible.
1. Eat Your Foods Raw where possible
It’s not exactly a cooking method, but it is a very healthy way to consume many of your favourite foods. Raw foods are higher in vitamins and nutrients - these are destroyed by cooking.
2. Steaming
Put a little water in a pot, put in a steamer basket or colander, and add your food. The water should not touch the food. As the water boils, the steam will gently cook your food. Don’t cook your food for too long (vegetables should still be brightly coloured, and slightly crunchy when they’re done). You may, if you wish, add some spices to the water to flavour the foods as they steam. This method works especially well for fragile vegetables like leafy greens, and fish.
3. Poaching
Poach various foods by simmering them in a covered pan in a little bit of water or broth.
4. Baking and Roasting
Baking is a healthy way to cook. It is preferable to use a lower temperature, and a longer cooking time, than a higher temperature to cook the food more quickly. You can bake meat, fish, poultry, veggies, bread, fruit and anything else. To keep in some of the moisture, keep your baking dish covered for part of the time.
5. Stir-Frying
If you must fry, stir-frying is a fast, relatively healthy way to cook. Chop your meat and veggies into small, uniform pieces, add a little oil or broth to a pan, and then stir the foods until they’re just cooked through. To preserve the nutrients in the vegetables, cook them only slightly.
6. Braising
To braise a piece of meat or fish, brown it slightly in a pan, then cover it with a small amount of liquid such as broth. Cover the pan, and leave the food to slowly finish cooking.
7. Boiling
Boiled foods are healthy because no harmful substances form when using this cooking method. However, nutrients may be lost when foods are boiled. Steaming is a preferable cooking method.
8. Sautéing
Sautéing involves cooking foods in a small amount of oil, or butter, on your stovetop. It is an acceptable form of cooking, although it does pose the problem of oxidizing oils. You may replace the oil with some broth instead, and don’t turn the heat up too high.
9. Grilling and Broiling
People love to grill their foods, but there are some potential problems to be aware of. Barbecue grill smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. And heterocyclic amines form when food is cooked at a high temperature, such as those used in grilling and broiling. These chemicals have been linked to cancer.
Advanced Glycation End (AGEs) products are also produced when meats are cooked at high temperatures. AGEs, according to researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, build up in your body over time leading to oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.
10. Frying
Frying foods is the absolute worst way to cook your foods. The high temperatures produce cancer-causing heterocyclic amines, along with AGEs. Meanwhile, frying exposes your foods to large amounts of oxidized (rancid) vegetable oils, which then soak into your food and wreak havoc in your body.
So, choose a cooking method that suits the taste-buds yet ensures the good health of your family.
We shall be dealing with heart issues, vision issues, cancer and other health matters in future postings.
To your good health and vision – for life,
Roshmi and Jay
www.youngagainforever.com
The Natural Health and Beauty Website