These 11 tips will help you cook healthier

The importance of healthy cooking can’t be overstated, since eating healthy foods keeps us healthy and prevents chronic diseases. It is easy to prepare healthy food. It’s just a matter of getting the right ingredients and knowing how to prepare and cook them.

1. Invest in healthy foods
Plan your grocery shopping list and meals before you go grocery shopping. Consider low-fat foods, such as low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and sauces, or lean cuts of meat and skinless chicken breasts. Avoid fatty foods such as fast food, chips, fried potatoes, processed meats, sweets and cakes.

It is a common misconception that frozen food is unhealthy, but frozen vegetables and seafood are good options when fresh ingredients are not available. Fresh foods are usually just as nutritious as these foods. Furthermore, they are less expensive and easier to use.

Red meat consumption should be minimized. Whenever possible, choose organic meat that is free of unnecessary antibiotics and artificial growth hormones.

Antioxidants and nutrients are abundant in dark leafy vegetables. Also, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can reduce inflammation and detoxify the body.

2. Healthy fats should be consumed
Healthy fats are an important part of the diet, but don’t overdo them. Refined vegetable oils usually contain fats that cause inflammation and threaten our health. These fats should be avoided or minimized. Eggs, avocados, nuts, chia seeds, soybeans, olives, and healthy oils like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are good sources of healthy fats. Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines, are also good for the heart.

In addition to being anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants, olive oil also promotes cardiovascular and brain health. Extra virgin olive oil has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil, so use it for low-heat cooking. In addition to being rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), coconut oil also promotes cognitive health.

Here are some ways to reduce oil consumption in cooking:

Use liquids to cook food instead of oil, such as broth, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar, or water.
In sauces and soups, use yogurt, low-fat milk or corn starch instead of cream.
Reduce the need for oil by using non-stick pans.
Spray oil on the vegetables while they are being fried in a hot pan. Vegetables will absorb less oil this way.
Cooking vegetables in the microwave first, then grilling them for a few minutes, is better than frying them in a pan.

3. Preserve nutrients
When food is prepared and cooked, water-soluble vitamins are easily lost. In order to minimize nutrient loss, follow these steps:

Vegetables should be peeled instead of peeled because many of their nutrients are found near the skin.
Instead of boiling vegetables, microwave or steam them. Cooking vegetables by steaming preserves their nutrients and is the healthiest method. Most of the nutrients in seafood can also be preserved by steaming.
Boil vegetables in a small amount of water and do not boil them for too long.

Color your food as much as possible with colored vegetables. Your food is more nutritious when it has colors, which are plant nutrients.

4. Consume less salt
High blood pressure can be caused by a high salt diet. Here are some tips for reducing salt:

Taste the food before adding salt to ensure it really needs it.
Cooked vegetables can be enhanced with olive oil, vinegar, or lemon juice at the end of cooking. The taste of food is improved by these ingredients, such as salt.
Fresh or frozen vegetables can be used. Salt is usually present in canned and pickled vegetables.
Salty processed meats, such as smoked fish, sausages, and sausages, should be avoided.
Iodized salt should be used. You will need less iodized salt if you eat fish at least once a week.

Processed foods such as flavored instant pasta or noodles, canned soup or instant soup powder, chips, and salted nuts should be avoided.
Salt is found in soy sauce, tomato sauce, and processed sauces, powders, and seasonings such as mayonnaise and salad dressing.
Herbs and spices can enhance the flavor of food instead of salt and oil. Herbs that are dried have a stronger flavor. Fresh herbs are equivalent to four teaspoons of dried herbs.

5. Seasoning with simple ingredients
Sugar and refined oils are usually found in ready-made sauces. To improve the taste of the food, you can use simple ingredients instead. To increase the amount of vitamin C in salads, you can use fresh lemon juice instead of dressing. Add olive oil to the salad and Himalayan salt to enhance its taste. Fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil, and parsley can also improve the taste of food while providing health benefits such as detoxifying the body, removing flatulence, and assisting digestion.

6. Gut health requires adequate fiber intake
Maintaining a balanced digestive system and proper body function requires a diet rich in fiber, including vegetables and grains. Probiotic foods and supplements also increase the diversity of bacteria in the gut microbiome. Gut health can be improved by taking a daily probiotic supplement. Sauerkraut and fermented vegetables are also rich in probiotics and beneficial to gut health. Digestion is also improved by fresh ginger root.

7. Each meal should contain an appropriate amount of each food group
Each meal should contain the following ratio of food groups:

Vegetables, cooked or raw, 50%;
25 percent protein (including 85 to 110 grams of animal protein);
If desired, include 25% whole grains or more vegetables.
You can garnish food with healthy fats, such as olive oil, or cook with them.

8. Vegetable peeling
Most plant nutrients are stored in the skin of vegetables such as carrots. In addition, peeling vegetables may remove some healthy microbes from their skins. Use the skin of vegetables as much as possible if the method of growing them is healthy.

9. All parts of the plant are consumed
Consume all parts of the plant (stem, root, and leaves) if possible. Most of the vegetables’ healthiest parts are thrown away. Beetroot leaves, for instance, contain more minerals than their roots. Vitamins A and C, as well as polyphenols, can be found in beetroot leaves.

To get more nutrients, eat all parts of plants. You can benefit from their minerals by making them taste better instead of throwing them away.

10. Making homemade sandwiches that are healthy
Bread made from whole grains should be used.
Sandwiches should contain as many vegetables as possible.
Cheese or low-fat mayonnaise can be used.
Choose lean chicken, falafel, canned tuna or salmon instead of processed meats.

11. Keeping healthy food at home
In order to cook healthy, you should always be prepared, which does not only mean using fresh ingredients. For quick and healthy meals, store dry ingredients such as legumes and grains at home. You can also save money by buying these products in bulk.

Conclusions
As much as possible, enjoy food and eat with others without distractions.
Slowly eating and savoring food reduces the possibility of overeating.
You can maintain healthy eating habits throughout your life by making small, gradual changes to your diet instead of going on a strict diet.
The body needs protein for energy and brain function is improved by protein. Proteins should be healthy and useful. Choose grass-fed meat and seafood of high quality if you eat meat.