7 minute read
Healthy Cooking Methods by Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN
Health & F tness
Healthy Cooking Methods
By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN
Choosing heathy ingredients is an integral part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and achieving one’s goals. However, the way we cook our food also plays a significant role in the nutritional quality of the food. Cooking foods improves digestion and the absorption of many nutrients. There are many ways to cook food, and it is important to be aware that the method by which our food is cooked has an impact on the substantive nutritional value of the food. Thus, there are many exciting ways to cook delicious foods that are healthy and nutritious.
Air Fryer: An air fryer is a great appliance to have in your kitchen. It circulates hot air around the food to create a crispy exterior. This is a great alternative to deep frying because it uses 50 times less oil than traditional deep frying! Instead of submerging food in cups of oil to fry it, you only need a tablespoon of oil to use the air fryer.
Deep frying became a very common cooking method – especially by restaurants and fast food chains – because it is a relatively quick and inexpensive way to cook food. Typically, restaurants fry foods in hydrogenated oils, which are very high in trans fats. Restaurants often reuse the hydrogenated oils, and the more the same oil is used, the more oil is absorbed into the foods being fried. Aside for fried foods being highly caloric and filled with trans-fats, they also may contain a harmful chemical called acrylamide. Acrylamide is a toxic substance that forms in foods cooked at a very high temperature. When foods are cooked at very high heat, an amino acid in the food called asparagine reacts with sugars to produce acrylamide. Starchy foods like potatoes often have large amounts of acrylamide because they are high in sugar. Additionally, eating fried foods poses a risk for developing heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. With air frying, you can enjoy your favorite “fried” foods without the extra fat, calories, and harmful compounds found in traditional fried foods.
Air-Fried Everything Chicken Recipe
- Slice white chicken cutlets into strips. Marinate the strips in salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, olive oil, and a drop of coconut aminos. - Prepare a bowl of two beaten eggs and another bowl with almond flour. - Add Everything but The Bagel Spice to the almond flour mixture. - Coat the chicken strips in the egg mixture and then the almond flour mixture. Lay the strips out on a sheet pan and spray them with olive oil. - Prepare the air fryer on 400 degrees and cook the chicken until tender and crispy (about 10 minutes). Air-Fried
Cauliflower Recipe
- Thaw a frozen bag of cauliflower and squeeze out all the water. - Combine cauliflower with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and turmeric. - Place cauliflower in the air fryer basket and cook until crispy (about 15 minutes).
Microwave Cooking: Using a microwave can be an efficient way to make clean, nutritious meals. Whether it means heating up a mealprepped dinner or cooking a bowl of oatmeal, microwave cooking can save a lot of time and mess in the kitchen.
Microwaves are electric ovens that heat and cook food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation. Studies show that microwave cooking preserves many of the vitamins and minerals in foods because they work at a low temperature and have a short cook time.
A great food to prepare in the microwave is a poached egg. Simply put half a cup of water and some salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Crack one egg in the bowl and place it in the microwave for about 60 seconds. Scoop out the egg and put it on a paper towel to take out some of the moisture.
Dry Heat Cooking: There a few healthy cooking methods that use dry heat. Grilling and broiling both provide a lot of flavor. However, it is important to clean the grill appropriately to reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These dangerous chemicals form from fat dripping on a hot surface, and studies show that these chemicals may cause cancer. Although grilling and broiling are simple ways to cook both meats and vegetables, 40% of B vitamins and minerals can be lost from these cooking processes.
Roasting and baking are also dry heat cooking methods. The terms roasting and baking are basically interchangeable. Baking does not need fat or moisture to cook, so a lot of nutrients are preserved. Roasting focuses on low, slow cooking which preserves nutrients.
Sautéing and Stir Frying: This is a cooking method that can either be very healthy or become very unhealthy, depending on the amount of oil and sauces used. In order to minimize the amount of oil used, use a non-toxic, non-stick pan. This allows for delicious stir fries and sautéed vegetable dishes that are tasty and nutritious. Oils with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or peanut oil, are preferable. If a low-smoke point oil (such as olive oil) becomes too hot, it oxidizes and releases free radicals which can lead to inflammation in the body and DNA mutations.
Stir frying and sautéing are fast cooking methods which prevent the loss of vitamin B. However, stir frying reduces the amount of vitamin C in vegetables.
Steaming: This is one of the healthiest cooking methods because it doesn’t require any oil or sauce. It is an amazing way to cook vegetables. Steaming vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or string beans can make them more easily digestible compared to eating them raw. To make steamed vegetables tastier, add some spices or vinegar after cooking. Although some of the vitamin C in vegetables is lost from steaming, this is a healthful way to prepare your vegetables. Interestingly, the water used to steam the vegetables contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, so don’t discard it too quickly.
Sous Vide Cooking: A sous vide cooks food in an airtight plastic bag submerged in a temperature-controlled water bath. It ensures foods are cooked exactly to the right temperature. You can turn a lean, otherwise dry piece of meat into a juicy and delicious one. Sous vide cooking retains more nutrients and vitamins than other cooking methods. Exposure to heat, oxygen, and water usually destabilize the nutrients in foods, however, with a sous vide, the nutrients stay in the food because they’re sealed in a package. Aside from locking in all the nutrients, it also locks in great flavor so you won’t need additional salt or flavor additives. It is a safe cooking method because of its
precision. It pasteurizes food, making it safe to eat. When cooking below 130 degrees, it’s important to sear the meat prior to putting it in the water to kill any bacteria. Additionally, choosing BPA-free plastic bags will ensure there are no harmful chemicals being absorbed by the food.
There is no cooking method that completely retains all vitamins and minerals. Air frying is a fantastic alternative to frying and will allow you to make crispy foods with far less oil. Microwave cooking is an efficient time-saver that maintains the food’s
nutrients. Similarly, baking is a great way to minimize the loss of vitamins and minerals. Sautéing and stir frying allows you to create nutritious meals in a time-friendly way. Steaming is the cleanest cooking method, although it isn’t the best for retaining nutrients. Sous vide cooking seems to be the cooking method which preserves nutrients most efficiently. Overall, the best way to retain nutrients is to cook at a low temperature with limited water for a short amount of time.
There are so many different healthy cooking methods which can give different flavor profiles to foods. When embarking on a healthy eating lifestyle, it is not just crucial to choose the right foods – rather, choosing the method in which they are cooked might just be as important.
Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.
