Healthy cooking tips

Healthy cooking is easy. In many cases, your favorite recipes can be modified so they offer a healthier alternative. Non-stick cookware can be used to reduce the need for cooking oil. To keep valuable nutrients, microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them. Cut out salt and cut down fats.

Eating healthy food doesn’t mean giving up your favorite foods and switching only to salads. Healthy cooking is easy. In many cases, your favorite recipes can be modified so they offer a healthier alternative. Non-stick cookware can be used to reduce the need for cooking oil. To keep valuable nutrients, microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them.

Keep fats to a minimum
It’s a good idea to minimize ‘hidden fats’ by choosing lean meats and reduced fat dairy products. Processed foods can also have lots of hidden fats. Dietary fats are best when they come from the unrefined natural fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado. Fat from these foods includes the essential long-chain fatty acids and this fat is accompanied by other good nutrients.

If you add fats when cooking, keep them to a minimum and use monounsaturated oils such as olive and canola oil. A little added oil can be a good thing.

At the shop
Low fat cooking begins when you are shopping:

• Choose the low fat version of a food if it exists – for example milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.
• Choose leaner meat cuts. If unsure, look for the Heart Foundation tick of approval.
• Choose skinless chicken breasts.
  

General suggestions
General suggestions on healthy cooking methods include:

• Steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods.
• Modify or eliminate recipes that include butter or ask you to deep fry or saute in animal fat.
• Avoid using oils and butter as lubricants. Use non-stick cookware instead.
• Don’t add salt to food as it is cooking.
• Remove chicken skin, which is high in fat.
• Eat more fresh vegetables and legumes.
• Eat more fish, which is high in protein, low in fats and loaded with essential omega-3 fatty acids.
  

Low fat cooking
Suggestions include:

• If you need to use oil, try cooking sprays or apply oil with a pastry brush.
• Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil.
• When a recipe calls for cream as a thickener, use low fat yoghurt, low fat soymilk, evaporated skim milk or cornstarch.
• When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables (such as mushrooms) can absorb during cooking.
• An alternative to browning vegetables by pan-frying is to cook them first in the microwave, then crisp them under the griller for a minute or two.
• When serving meat and fish, use pesto, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces.
  

Retaining the nutrients
Water soluble vitamins are delicate and easily destroyed during preparation and cooking. Suggestions include:

• Scrub vegetables rather than peel them, as many nutrients are found close to the skin.
• Microwave or steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
• If you like to boil vegetables, use a small amount of water and do not over-boil them.
• Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients).
  

Cutting out salt
Salt is a traditional flavor enhancer, but research suggests that a high salt diet could contribute to a range of health problems including high blood pressure. Suggestions include:

• Don’t automatically add salt to your food – taste it first.
• Add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice close to the end of cooking time or to cooked vegetables – it can enhance flavors in the same way as salt.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables, since canned and pickled vegetables tend to be packaged with salt.
• Limit your consumption of salty processed meats such as salami, ham, corned beef, bacon, smoked salmon, frankfurters and chicken loaf.
• Choose reduced salt bread and breakfast cereals. Breads and cereals are a major source of salt in the diet.
• Iodised salt is best. A major dietary source of iodine is plant foods. Yet there is emerging evidence that Australian soil may be low in iodine and so plants grown in it are also low in iodine. If you eat fish regularly (at least once a week), the need for iodized salt is reduced.
• Avoid salt-laden processed foods, such as flavored instant pasta or noodles, canned or dehydrated soup mixes, chips and salted nuts.
• Margarine and butter contain a lot of salt but ‘no added salt’ varieties are available.
• Most cheeses are very high in salt so limit your intake or choose lower salt varieties.
• Reduce your use of soy sauce, tomato sauce and processed sauces and condiments (for example mayonnaise and salad dressings) because they contain high levels of salt.
• Use herbs, spices, vinegar or lemon juice to add extra zing to your recipe and reduce the need for salt.
  

Herbs
Culinary herbs are leafy plants that add flavor and color to all types of meals. They are also rich in health-protective phyto-oestrogens (plant compounds that have some similar effects to the female hormone, oestrogen). In many cases, herbs can replace the flavor of salt and oil.

Remember:

• Herbs are delicately flavored, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes.
• Dried herbs are more strongly flavored than fresh. As a general rule, one teaspoon of dried herbs equals four teaspoons of fresh.
• Apart from boosting meat dishes, herbs can be added to soups, breads, mustards, salad dressings, vinegars, desserts and drinks.
• Herbs such as coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass are especially complimentary in vegetable-based stir-fry recipes.
  

Sandwich suggestions
To make a sandwich even healthier:

• Switch to reduced salt wholemeal or wholegrain bread – for example, some brands of soy linseed bread.
• Don’t butter the bread. You won’t miss butter if your sandwich has a few tasty ingredients already.
• Limit your use of spreads high in saturated fat like butter and cream cheese. Replace them with a thin spread of peanut butter or other nut spreads, hummus, low fat cheese spreads or avocado.
• Choose reduced fat ingredients when you can, such as low fat cheese or mayonnaise.
• Try to reduce your use of processed meats. Instead use fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines.
  

Other tips
Suggestions include:

• Spend a little time on presentation. You are more likely to enjoy a meal if it’s visually appealing as well as tasty.
• Make every meal an occasion. Set the table. Eat with your family. Give yourself the opportunity to enjoy your food without distractions like television.
• Long-term deprivation, such as crash dieting, doesn’t work. Allow yourself the occasional guilt-free treat.
• You are less likely to overeat if you eat slowly and savour every mouthful.
  

Things to remember

• In many cases, favorite recipes can be modified so they offer a lower fat content.
  
• Choose to steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods, rather than deep fry them.
• Use non-stick cookware.
• Microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them to retain the nutrients.

Eat your big meal in the afternoon

For most people, dinner is the main meal of the day. However, when you're watching your waistline, it may be a better idea to enjoy a feast in the afternoon.

Although eating lunch as a main meal is a common practice over in Europe, it's yet to catch on in the United States.

According to other cultures, eating your largest meal at lunch is beneficial because that's the time frame (between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) when the body digests food the most optimally.

One dietitian swears her clients lost between five and ten pounds just by following this simple lifestyle change.

Don't eat from the bag

Don't eat from a bowl or bag.

It's one of the fastest ways to deviate from your plan. Sitting down with a bag of chips or box of cookies encourages mindless eating.

You're more likely to keep going and going. Before you realize it, you've consumed four servings and far too many calories.

Set aside one serving size and seal your snack of choice until next time.

Chew on this slowly

Savor every bite and eat slowly.

Digestion takes time. You may keep on eating because you still feel hungry. By taking it slow and steady, the body has time to realize it's full. This usually takes about 20 minutes -- so pace yourself.

Never eat while standing. Make the meal your main focus. Instead of eating at record-setting speed, take it slow.

You'll be less likely to go back for seconds when you already feel full.

Fast Facts: Time-Saving Diet Tips

Pre-package your foods.

Make your healthy eating regimen convenient. Set aside some time during the week to cut up fresh vegetables and fruits. Cut up celery, carrots, apples, strawberries, grapes and other diet-friendly snacks and place them in individual bags.

When you're pressed for time, all you need to do is reach in the refrigerator and grab one of the ready-made portions.

Eat more, lose more

Fill up on soups and other high energy-density foods.

Research shows that foods with high water content fill you up faster and for a longer period of times. Fruits, vegetables and broth-based soups all fit the bill.

By starting a meal off with a bowl of soup or a healthy salad, dieters reduce their overall calorie consumption for each meal.

In addition, it's possible to eat larger volumes of these foods for a smaller amount of calories.

Benefits of green tea: especially for weight loss

Green tea is a type of tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia from Japan to the Middle East.

Recently, it has become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where it is grown. These varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, processing and harvesting time.

Major benefits of drinking green tea:

• Reduce high blood pressure
• Reduce blood sugar
• Contain Antioxidants to remove free radicals in human body
• Reduce the risk of heart diseases
• Reduce the risk of stroke
• Reduce the risk of blood clot
• Reduce bad cholesterol in the blood
• Reduce harmful effects from cigarettes smoking
• Reduce arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Prevent osteoporosis
• Prevent allergy, cold and flu
• Keeping fluid balance
• Relieve fatigue
• Awakening thought (also includes concentration)
• Boost your immune system
• Aiding in cancer prevention and reducing tumor growth
• Help with oral hygiene
• Supporting liver protection
• Helps with stress relief
• Aid in Weight Loss by increasing the metabolism and burning calories
  

Drinking only a few cups of green tea can do your body very good.

Learn to say NO

Learn to just say no.

Regardless of their motives, people love to push food onto others. Overcoming this obstacle can be difficult.

When Aunt Ida or Cousin Betty plead with you to try their creamy, dreamy potato casserole, you don't have the heart to refuse their offerings, especially at the risk of offending them.

There are a couple of ways to approach the situation. You can gently turn your loved one down by explaining you just had a big meal and couldn't eat another bite. Or you can sample a small bite and discreetly push the plate aside when somebody else comes along.

The most important rule of thumb is to be tactful so that you can walk away from the situation with your dignity and your waistline still intact.

Soy can save your life

Reap the benefits of soy.

Soy beans contain protein and are chock full of calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, omega 3 fatty acids and other health-enhancing components. In addition to improving heart health, preventing cancer and strengthening bones, soy also lowers cholesterol.

Soy milk, soybeans, textured soy protein and tofu are all great sources of this food.

The danger of Diet Sodas

Eliminate soda.

These sugar-loaded, caffeinated beverages have no nutritional value whatsoever.

A 12-ounce can of cola contains 144 calories. If you consume at least three sodas a day, that's a total of 432 calories. Even diet sodas are dangerous. Although they boast 0 calories, a recent study showed that people who consumed diet pop had a higher risk of becoming obese.

The cause of yo-yo dieting

Don't fall for fad diets.

When you're desperate to lose weight, it's easy to fall prey to the latest weight-loss craze. From the cabbage soup diet to the grapefruit diet, these faddish programs promise quick, easy results. Unfortunately, it's you who suffers. Although you may lose a few pounds, these plans are hardly maintainable - or healthy - in the long-term.

More often than not, you'll put the weight back on, along with some extra pounds. Stick to healthy eating and exercise for lasting results.

Green tea and stay healthy

Green tea has been enjoyed for centuries in formal Chinese tea ceremonies. It has long been believed to relieve headaches and body aches, increase energy, prevent disease and aid digestion.

Many tests have been inconclusive and others are still under way, some of the health claims by green tea proponents are:

• Longer life
• Weight loss
• Increased ability to survive after a heart attack
• Antioxidants to combat free radicals
• Cavity fighting
• Higher metabolism, more calories burned
• Cancer prevention
• Lower cholesterol
• Detoxification of blood
• Liver function support
• Bone density maintenance
• Reduced inflammation
• Alzheimer's prevention and treatment
• Lower risk of diabetes and heart disease

Green tea contains a group of polyphenols known as catechins. The most studied and effective compound is epigallocatechin gallate, better known as EGCG. A growing number of published scientific studies propose that it does protect against cancer and heart disease and aid weight control. It is used as a fat loss aid used in some dietary supplements.

The side effects of green tea are few and mild. They are mainly due to the caffeine content, which the Buddhist monks of the 8th century discovered helped keep them awake during long meditation sessions. Actually, green tea has just enough caffeine to give you a lift, but not enough to cause nervous jitters. It would take four cups to equal the amount of caffeine in just one cup of brewed coffee. There are 8 to 20 mg. of caffeine in green tea, compared to 40 to 60 mg. in black tea and 90 to 150 mg. in coffee. The best known effects of caffeine include increased intellectual activity, improved reading speed, more energy, increased heartbeat, improved alertness, quicker reaction times and a brighter mood. Too much caffeine, on the downside, can cause insomnia, headaches, irritability and muscle tension.

Because of the caffeine content, there are some possible drug interactions. If you are taking any medicines with the ingredients codeine, ephedrine, psedoephrine, theophylline, atropine, aminophylline or warfarin you should consult with your physician and pharmacist before taking green tea products.

Green tea is available in tea bags, loose leaves, and prebrewed in bottles. It is available in caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties. There is also a product called Matcha, which is made of powdered tea leaves that are simply mixed into hot water. If you are not a fan of the flavor, it can also be found in tea blend sodas and fruit juice beverages, tablets, extracts, nutrition bars and liqueur.

Green tea contains zero calories. Just substituting it for higher calorie beverages, particularly soda, will help you reduce your overall calorie intake and help you feel full and more energetic. While nobody knows exactly how much of the active ingredient, EGCG, is necessary, most researchers agree that to reap the benefits, just three to four cups a day are all that are needed.

Are you really hungry?

It's not always your stomach that's giving you that hunger sign. Sometimes stress, boredom, depression or just having food nearby can make you think you're hungry.

The best way to tell the difference is to become aware of the physical signs of hunger. Physical hunger is a call by the body to fill a need for fuel. Once you eat, your hunger should go away. If it doesn't, chances are, you're dealing with emotional hunger.

Try to pay attention to what your stomach feels like when it's hungry. For example, right when you wake up in the morning. Take some time to really pay attention to that feeling. The next time you think you're hungry, remember what you felt. This will help you make healthier decisions.

Beware of fat-free trap

Low-fat or fat-free make good alternatives to the full-fat versions.

However, sometimes these products contain as many or even more calories than the original product.

Before you dive into a whole box of fat-free chocolate chip cookies, make sure you read the entire label on the box. Manufactures often replace the fat in the original version with large amounts of sugar. The same rules apply to low-carbohydrate and zero-calorie foods.

Remember if it sounds too good to be true, read the label!

Detoxification

Detoxification is a treatment in alternative medicine which proponents claim rid the body of accumulated harmful substances that exert a negative effect on individual health.

Detox diets are dietary plans regarded as having detoxifying effects. "Detox" diets usually suggest that water, or fruits and vegetables compose a majority of one's food intake. Limiting this to unprocessed foods is often advocated. Limiting or eliminating alcohol is also a major factor, and drinking more water is similarly recommended.

Some proponents of detox diets emphasize it as a lifestyle rather than a diet. Others have touted spiritual and psychological benefits of regular detox dieting.

Drink low-fat hi-cal milk

If you drink milk, switch from whole milk to 1 percent fat.

Studies show calcium-rich dairy products can help adjust your body's fat-burning machinery and help you lose weight. But you don't need the extra fat.

If you drink 8 ounces of milk each day, and all you do is switch from whole milk to 1 percent, you'll save enough calories to lose 5 pounds in a year. That's pretty effortless.

What to eat for a slimmer tummy

Researchers have found that women put on more fat around their midsection as they get older -- and if you're stressed, overweight or menopausal, your waistline is more likely to balloon. But that's not to say a poochy tummy is inevitable with age: Couple cardio and core exercises with a sensible eating plan and you can stay trim and look fab, say health experts. With these belly-friendly diet tips, you'll be empowered to beat the flab.

• Up your fiber intake. A recent Danish study found that women who ate more fiber gained less weight with age, particularly around their middle, than women on low-fiber diets. So how much fiber should you aim to take? 25 to 30 grams a day, recommend experts. Good sources include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
  

• Eat frequently. Stress causes weight gain because when you're often anxious or feeling overwhelmed, your body produces stress hormones like cortisol, which encourages the storage of fat in the abdomen. Studies have shown that hunger can trigger the same effect and send cortisol in overdrive, leading to an expanding waistline. To keep your hunger under control, eat five or six smaller meals instead of three main meals.
  

• Cut back on salt. Sodium causes your body to retain fluids. That's why a diet high in sodium can result in a bloated stomach as well as raise your blood pressure. Stay away from high-sodium culprits such as processed and canned foods, and whenever possible add flavor to your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt.

Take it one day at a time

You'll have more success long-term if you gradually replace unhealthy, high-calorie foods with healthy foods.

If you're really having trouble kicking the burger, fries and soda habit, pick just one thing at time to kick. For example, order your normal meal, but toss out the bun. Or skip the fries. Switch the soda for water. Try that for a week or two, and all of a sudden you'll find you've changed a habit and eliminated a bunch of nasty calories.

Achieve one goal, then move on to the next to establish healthy habits for life.

Fruit yoghurts as snack

OFTEN when you are at a loss for what to have as a quick snack, chances are you would raid the refrigerator in search of something light and healthy.

Yoghurt, carrot or cucumber? Well, yoghurt would probably be the most appealing if you are watching your waistline.

Yes, fruit yoghurts are gaining popularity where chocolates and ice cream used to be snacking buddies, especially in households where good health is paramount.

It may not strike many as a great snack but those who read up medical journals or quick takes in the newspapers, magazines and even online articles would know the efficacy of yoghurt and how it helps maintain healthy flora in the gut with its friendly probiotics.

Fruit yoghurt is actually a very healthy snack and can be had for breakfast right up to supper, and in various flavours too.

The range of brands available in Malaysia is wide with a variety of foreign and local tags to choose from, and there is also a good number of flavours to select.

Natural yoghurt is available and in many forms as well, with the Swiss-style and Greek-style yoghurts being the most famous.

What is the difference between Swiss-style yoghurt and Greek-style yoghurt and how do we make the distinction?

Well, for one the original inventors of yoghurt were the Greeks, and theirs is a silky and velvety version eaten with fruit. In other words, this yoghurt is supple and not stiffened to hold its form.

On the other hand, the custard-style yoghurt that is more substantial and usually known as French or Swiss-style – or in manufacturing terms, laboratory products – is what most of us love as it is like custard with fruits suspended in it.

Deliciously sweet and creamy, this custard-like yoghurt can be had for dessert in place of cakes and flavoured further with the addition of fresh fruits in season or even berries.

One of the best selling, we feel, is peach melba – taken as an alternative to ice cream or as a yoghurt snack – it is refreshing and tasty. Delicious with a raspberry or straw-berry flavour and with bits of peach, this is actually one of the fool-proof flavours that would endear yoghurt to children and adults alike.

Other tasty flavours are strawberry, mango and kiwi fruit.

There are also variations in the way the yoghurts are presented. Some come with fruit puree, which is stirred into the yoghurt just before eating. Some use fruits which are already mixed in with the yoghurt.

For those who are on a sugar watch, the best way to enjoy good fruit yoghurt is to use natural yoghurt mixed with diabetic conserves and jam, and with added fresh fruits for flavour.

So, do try to add yoghurt to your daily meal for a healthier diet. If you do not like natural yoghurts, try the various types of fruit yoghurts available and then pick out your favourite.

Eat veggies

It is so easy to use a low-carbohydrate diet as an excuse for poor nutrition, low-carbohydrate food doesn't always nutritional food! Resist this temptation.

If the only vegetable you have eaten in the last 5 years has been the potato, now is a good time to begin experimenting with other vegetables. This is important for your overall health and to avoid some nasty side effects of not getting enough fiber in your diet.

If you try hard enough, you will find out which vegetables that you enjoy eating. Experiment with grilling veggies or cooking with real butter to add flavor. You can also search for new recipes through the internet or in cook books.

Remember, if you are only eating 40 grams of carbohydrate a day or less, 2 cups of plain salad greens contain only about 5 grams of carbohydrate. You have no excuse not to eat your veggies.

Veggies bring enough nutrition for a healthy life and low in carbohydrate too! Please do not miss out the veggies as your daily food!