Maybe you are wondering on how you can prepare your food with less fat and calories right? Well, I have a few list here that may come handy. These tips are fun and enjoyable to follow without denying yourself too much of the good stuffs in eating. And of course you can still retain the same interest and delight in preparing your food the way you like them to be.
Tip 1: For the fewest calories in serving, trim all visible fat before cooking.But because leaner cuts cook more quickly, you will need to decrease your cooking time.
Tip 2: If you use nonstick cookware and nonstick cooking sprays, you can decrease the amount fo fat used in cooking. Buy a 10- to -12 inch nonstick skillet and one or two nonstick saucepans for your pantry.
Tip 3: Use healthy cooking methods such as grilling , roasting ,broiling ,baking ,stir-frying, microwaving or poaching. Don't fry your food.
Tip 4: You can remove most of the fat from soups and stews if you prepare and refrigerate them several hours early. The fat will harden on the surface, and you can easily remove it before reheating. If you don't have that much time, at least let the food cool down and skim the fat.
Tip 5: The higer the grade of meat, the more fat it contains.The order of fat marbling from greatest to least is 'prime", "choice" and "select". When buying ground beef, choose extra lean.
Tip 6: Reduce pan juices to your desired consistency and concentration of flavor when cooking meats, instead of making heavy sauces and gravies.This is most easily and quickly done by boiling skimmed juices in a skillet.
Tip 7: Baste meats with their own juices or with broth or fruit or vegetable juices,rather than with margarine or butter.
Tip 8: Limit added fat and oils to 5 to 8 teaspoon a day. Try reduced-fat versions of margarine , butter, mayonnaise and salad dressings.
Tip 9: Serve light meats such as chicken,turkey or fish often. Light-meat poultry is naturally low in fat,especially if the skin is removed. Most fish are also very lean.
Tip 10: Choose water-packed instead of oil-packed canned fish products, such as tuna, to limit fat intake.
Tip 11: Some dishes traditionally made with several eggs can be made successfully with only one or two whole eggs plus several egg whites.
Tip 12: Use less cheese than usual , or choose low-fat cheese.
Tip 13: Substitute complex carbohydrates for fatty foods. For example, eat a toasted whole-wheat bagel instead of a cheese Danish. Complex carbohydrates is another term for starch , and fiber. Pasta, cereals,rice and potatoes, as well as bread,vegetables and fruits are excellent,low-fat sources of energy and complex carbohydrates.
Tip 14: Serve more vegetables and fruits. When in season they are cheaper and have the best flavor.
Tip 15: Use strongly flavored ingredients in salad dresssings and reduce or omit the amount of oil. Add a little water of nonfat yogurt to thick bottled salad dressings.
Tip 16: Cut in half the amount of meat in recipes.Use only lean meats. Fill in the bulk with shredded vegetables, legumes, pasta and grains.Trim visible fats and skin from meats.
Tip 17: Use low-fat, nonfat or skim milk products when cooking. There are many such products available, including cheeses and yogurts.
Tip 18: If you like chicken, but are trying to cut calories, use the breast cut or remove the skin. Skinned poultry can dry out easily when baked or roasted. Prepare with sauces or cover tightly when cooking. Chicken is versatile enough to be used in any meal and flavorful recipes.
Tip 19: If you love pasta and want to keep your calorie count low, try the following suggestions.
a.) Mix cooked vegetables with pasta for a hot main dish; use raw vegetables for a cold salad.
b.) A 1-cup of pasta contains about 200 calories.Substitute 1/2 cup of cut-up low-calorie vegetable
for 1/2 cup of the pasta and you'll cut your calorie count to 120.
c.) Toss equal parts of cooked spaghetti with cooked squash for great flavor.
So there you go. The 19 healthy tips to reduce the calories in your cooking. So now set your kitchenwares and start cooking. =)
healthyboy29
The aims of healthy cooking are to avoid adding fat to food, to reduce the saturated fat content of the ingredients when possible, to retain the vitamins and minerals and,of course,to ensuer that the food is delicious by preserving or enhancing its flavor,color and texture.The following cooking methods will help you work toward these goals.
Steaming - This method involves cooking food over , instead of in , boiling liquid (usually water). As a result, most of the vitamins and minerals are retained. Browning is not part of the process, so fat is not added. Steaming preserves the texture of foods and is a good cooking method for those who prefer their vegetables crisp, not foggy. It is also very useful for cooking fish, poultry and puddings.
Grilling - There's no need to add fat when grilling meat, fish, or vegetables.Excess fat in the meat will drip through the rack and can easily be discarded.Brush the rack with the oil before cooking to prevent the food from sticking.Preheat the grill and baste with lemon juice, if necessary.
Casseroling - One-pot meals are good for stress-free entertaining.They also contain more vitamins,since these are retained in the stock,which is served alongside the other ingredients.Such meas can be partially cooked a day ahead, then cooled and chilled.Any fat will solidify on the surface and can easlily be lifter off before the casserole is reheated.
Stir Frying - This method ensures that the food cooks quickly, thus retaining its maximum nutritional value,color and texture.Slivers of meat can be marinated in a savory mixture of,for example,soy sauce,fruit juice,tomato puree and vinegar or similar sauces before cooking to tenderize them and add flavor.Foods that are to be stir-fried need to cut into small pieces so they can cook quickly and evenly
Poaching - This is an excellent way of cooking delicate white fish or whole oily fisht.Fish steaks, particularly code, halibut,salmon and tuna,also cook well through either grilling or poaching, without the need to add any fat.Poaching can be done either in the oven or on top of the cooker.
Basically,fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the body.Fiber is present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
There are two types of dietary fiber.Soluble fiber has been found to lower cholesterol and helps to regulate glucose levels in the blood while insoluble fiber is considered to be the healthy fiber because one of its role is supporting regularity.Getting enough fiber in our diet can lower the risk of developing certain types of diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes , diverticular disease , and the formation of gallstones and kidney stones.
We know that too much of anything is not healthy. You can refer to this link for the recommended dietary fiber intake for individuals
Maybe you are wondering nowon how you can increase the amount of Fiber in your diet. I was able to research on few good tips on how we can accomplish this in preparing our meals.
- Choose whole -meal, whole-grain,high-fiber,brown or granary bread in place of white bread
- Choose whole -meal pita bread,rolls,muffins,scones,and hot cross buns in place of white.
- Choose whole-meal pasta over white pasta
- Choose brown rice instead of white rice. Mixtures of brown and wild rice are also available and offer a tasty alternatives
- Use whole-meal flour in place of white flour.Alternatively, use mixture of half portion of white flour and half portion of whole-meal flour
- Choose whole-wheat breakfast cereals, which are naturally high in fiber instead of adding wheat bran to regular cereals
- Make your own high fiber muesli by combining oats , bean flakes , wheat germ , dried fruits , nuts and seeds. Serve this topped with fresh fruit such as bananas or raspberries
- Add dried fruits such as raisins and chopped ready-t0-eat dried pears or peaches to breakfast cereals or porridge
- If possible, include foods from the cereals group (bread,pasta,rice and cereals) in every meal
- Choose high-fiber crackers , crisp breads and biscuits rather than plain ones
- Choose pulse-based dishes as a change from meat or fish-based ones
- Replace some of the meat used in a recipe with cooked pulses such as beans or lentils. Many varieties of fresh,frozen and canned pulses are available
- Extend soups by adding cooked pulses such as beans ,peas or lentils
- Add cooked pulses, nuts or seeds to salads for extra fiber, color and flavor
- Eat or use unpeeled or unskinned fruits and vegetables whenever possible, but wash them thoroughly first
- Leave potatoes unskinned,especially when baking ,boiling or roasting them
- When pureeing vegetables for soups and sauces,do not pass the mixture through a sieve, because much of the valuable fibers will be discarded
- Add grated root vegetables like potatoes and parsnips to casseroles, lasagna,cottage pie, sauces and stews
- Use whole-wheat breakfast cereals in baking. Try muesli bars and flapjacks for toppings,crumbles, coatings and cheesecake bases, and in meat loaves and burgers
- Add dried fruit such as sultanas and chopped, ready-to-eat dried apricots to cakes , scones and muffin recipes
- Snack nuts and seeds contain a good amount of fiber and make a tasty snack or addition to a recipe.Use sparingly as they are also high in fat and calories
- For dessert choose fresh or dried fruit salad or compote, whole meal bread pudding, or whole -meal crumbles or fruitcakes
- For toasted sandwhiches use whole-meal bread in place of white bread
- Use leftover cooked whole-meal pasta for pasta salads
- Choose ready-made sandwhiches made from whole-meal bread with low calorie or reduced-fat fillings . Better still, if you have time , make your own high-fiber sandwhich to pack-up and take away!
When it comes to total health care, there are no shortcuts. A well-prepared balanced diet should be supplemented with an appropriate exercise regimen. But the first half of the equation -maintaining a healthy diet - need not be as painful and difficult as it usually considered to be . After all, in order to reap maximum halth bebefits you need to be able to stick with your eating plan for the rest of your life-not an easy thing to do if it invloves eating tasteless,unappetizing foods.
There are many good delicious ingredients out there that you use to prepare healthy and truly tasteful dishes, and can include in an eating plan that you can live with.
Just as in cooking where we select the best ingredients to create a wonderful recipe , in nutrition,we have to consider all of the required nutrients (carbohydrates, protein ,fat,vitamins, minerals and water) to build a healthful diet.
Nutrition is the study of foods and of the way the body uses them. Nutrients are the substances in foods which the body cannot manufacture.They help the body:
a.) Make heat and energy that it needs to perform vital functions, such as breathing and metabolism as well as maintaining,body temperature. Foods rich in carbohydrates, protein and fat supply our body with energy. This energy is measured in units called calories. Each gram of carbohydrates and protein provides the body with 4 calories while fat produces 9 calories. Alcohol , although not a nutrient , provides energy. Each gram of alcohol produces 7 calories.
b.) Grow , repair and maintain itself. Meat products supply our body with proteins needed for growth and tissue repair.
c.) Regulate body processes. Vitamins , minerals and water help in circulation , respiration and digestion.
Last time, I posted a blog discussing what cancer is , its origin and how it can be prevented.This time I am going to write an article about the research I have done related to foods that fight cancer.
Sometimes people get to think of their health only after they suddenly feel ill. Most of the time we do things that we like but are not really mindful of the effects that they have in our health. As an example, a coffee drinker may think that its okay to drink coffee everyday. I honestly believe so as I myself drinks coffee a lot.However if you do some tricks and start to be mindful of some little things may help you reduce these risks. Taking time to look at the contents found in your cofee is something that you may want to think about for a while and ask yourself if perhaps you can probably pass drinking coffee even for just one day.If you are an everyday coffee drinker, this will give you one coffee-less day in a week and probably 4 coffee-less days in a month. Now that is something that you can contribute to yourself and start living a healthy lifestyle.
For this article I have gathered Healthy Tips and Tricks on how to reduce the risks of the things you like doing without altering too much of your lifestyle.
1. Most of us drinks alcohol on special occasions. Some of us do more than that.If you drink alcohol a lot on gimmicks or parties,you may want to consider planning your schedule on drinking.For me, this works a lot. Do not look where the drink is served at the start of the event. Drink only when invited to do so. In this case, you have avoid drinking too much on the event. It's a trick that always work for me.
2. If you drink coffee a lot and really loves the effect of its aroma, you may want to do it only in the morning and restrict yourself from taking another one for snack.Consider this tip that I was able to come up with. Before when I get to drink coffee twice I day,I am not mindful of how much cholesterol am I putting in my body.Now after considering it, I only take coffee in the morning and drink tea for snack instead. This way the tea refreshes the body and does a good cleansing of your intestine and stomach.
3. If you like sweets and loves chocolate, you may want to consider eating dark chocolates or cocoa powder rather than the more popular milk chocolate.The dark chocolate and cocoa powder may help reduce the risk of having cardiovascular disease and decrease your blood pressure.
4.) When preparing your food, its good to have a well balanced diet. However,if this doesn't work for you then atleast plan on incorporating food rich in nutrients even for just one day. Eating vegetables and salads reduces the risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body.
I hope that with these simple healthy Tips and Tricks, you will be able to stay healthy and in good shape while still maintaining your current eating habbits and lifestyle.
