There are a variety of methods in which to cook food, so whether frying, stir-frying, sauteing, grilling, braising, baking, microwaving, broiling, steaming, roasting, or poaching, which is the healthiest method of cooking.
Frying – although not the healthiest of methods within which to cook food, fried food is often tasty but also contains many calories. Food is fried in the already melted liquidised fat. Many foods soak up fats like a sponge. Take bread for example. Fried bread can soak up a lot of fat. In order to reduce the calories used during this method, use a tiny amount of fat or a low calorie spray of fat. Use a healthy mono-saturated fat to fry rather than butter.
Stir-fry – Very similar to pan frying but only requires a little oil in order to cook the foods quickly. It is a speedy and healthy way to cook vegetables and meats. The quicker the meal takes to cook, the higher the nutrients retained.
Sauteing – Similar to pan frying but uses less fat and requires the meat to be cooked on a very high heat. The meat or fish is constantly flipped with tongues or tossed in the air to flip over, in order to cook through the food and avoid burning.
Grilling – This is a healthier way to cook foods. Many foods, especially those in meat, contain fats. When the food is grilled, fat drips off the meat and reduces its fat count. Grill any meat or fish to reduce its fat content. The grilling method is useful for those people who need to reduce their overall calorie consumption. Herbs and spices can be added to meals to improve the flavor.
Braising – This is a wonderful method to cook white and red meats. It is an extremely slow method used to cook meats, but also retains the taste and texture of meats and vegetables, and gives a perfect tasty broth full of nutrients. Casseroles are usually cooked in this way, and slow cookers are a fantastic, cheap way to cook nutritious meals from scratch.
Baking – This method is used to cook cakes, sponges, potatoes, meats, and pizzas. Use greaseproof paper instead of lining a tin with fat when making a cake or sponge. Try to avoid adding fat to recipes and go for a fat free sponge made with sugar, eggs, and flour to reduce the calories.
Microwaving – This method is an extremely fast way to cook meals or single items. However, how long it takes a food to cook is due to its moisture contents, the microwave’s power, and the time it takes to cook through the food. There are many various heat settings on a microwave. A baked potato may take 1-2 hours in the oven but a microwave can more than halve that time. The food is cooked through and it saves energy consumption.
Broiling – This method is similar to grilling but food is placed on top of heat in order for it to cook through. It is a healthy method to cook food, as no fat is required with either of these methods.
Steaming – Experts state this is the healthiest way of cooking vegetables and retaining their nutrients, without adding fat. Poultry, fish, shellfish, and vegetables are wonderful to steam. To flavour foods, use fruit juice, wine, or fat-free broths.
Roasting – This is an easy method in which to cook large pieces of meat and those tasty roast potatoes. Marinate meats first to add flavour before cooking and, to reduce the overall fat, use a roasting rack.
Poaching – Rather than using fats and oils, water is used to cook the foods. Eggs are wonderful to cook with this method and fat-free, as are vegetables and meats.
