Healthy Cooking Tips For Dieters

There seems to be a misconception about the foods you can and cannot eat if you are struggling with your weight or considering going on a diet. Going on a diet does not necessarily mean living on salads and giving up your favourite foods, but rather making the relevant adjustments to incorporate a healthier cooking plan and making informed decisions when picking your cooking ingredients.

Most of the popular diets do allow you to use alternative ingredients in their recipes so that you can still eat your favourite foods. These diets do also use some smart tricks to help make the transition easier while increasing weight loss. One example is the use of non-stick pots and frying pans that reduce the need for cooking oil, and incorporating steamed vegetables in the diet instead of boiled, which do help increase their nutritional value which is better for you. The following changes are recommended for your diet:

-        Check the ingredients – Carefully read the food labels keeping an eye out on the salt, fat and preservative content. Make sure you wash your fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly and don’t forget to remove the skin from chicken. The skin is very high in fat.

-        Improve your eating habit – try eating more fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes and fish. Fish is very high in protein, low in fats and full of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

-        Reduce your fat intake – To lose weight you need to reduce your fat intake! Make sure you and eliminating the hidden fats found in processed foods. Whenever possible, stick with lean meats and low fat dairy products. The dietary fats (good fats) your body needs come from foods like fish, avocado, nuts, seeds, soy beans and olives. Make sure you modify your cooking recipes to ensure you eliminate the need for deep frying and make use of you non-stick cookware.

-        Change your cooking habits – Grill, steam, bake, braise, or microwave your foods. Avoid deep frying and the use of cooking oils where possible.

-        Reduce salt – Try reducing the amount of salt you add to your cooking. You can use many other herbs and spices to give your food flavour!

Reduced Fat Cooking Suggestions

-        Use non-stick cookware where possible, which will eliminate the need for fat, butter and cooking oils.

-        Use cooking sprays or apply a light coat of oil with a pastry brush where oil is needed.

-        Instead of deep frying in oil, try steaming your foods or try cooking in liquids like stock, broth, lemon juice, vinegar or water.

-        Replace cream with low fat yoghurt, evaporated skim milk or low fat soymilk.

-        To brown vegetables, cook them first in the steamer or the microwave, and then briefly crisp them on the grill.

-        Spice up meat, fish or baked potatoes with salsas, chutneys and vinegars instead of butter, creamy sauces, or sour cream.

Ways to Preserve Nutrition

Water soluble vitamins and minerals can easily be destroyed during the preparation and cooking of your meals, therefor try to:

-        Steam your vegetables instead of boiling them. If you have a preference to boil them, then try use little water and restrict the boiling time.

-        Avoid peeling your fruit and vegetables. Wash them and scrub them instead. By pealing you can potentially lose the most valuable nutrients that are found near the skin.

-        Try mixing your diet with different kind of stir-fry recipes. Stir-fried vegetables do cook quickly which help retain most of their nutrients. 

Use Herbs to Enhance Flavours

Herbs not only add flavour to foods, but they can also stop your cravings, help burn fat and increase your energy level when dieting.

-        Herbs can be used in meat dishes, soups, breads, salad dressings, desserts and even drinks.

-        Dried or fresh, they add delicious flavours to any recipe

-        Vegetable-based stir-fries taste fantastic with herbs like garlic, ginger, coriander and ginger.

Reduce Salt

Research has shown that high salt diets contribute to a range of serious health issues and potentially weight gain. You can reduce salt in your diet by:

-        Tasting your food before adding salt.

-        Use lemon juice, vinegar or olive oil on cooked vegetables, it works a treat. Spices, herbs, vinegar, lime or lemon juice can replace salt in most recipes.

-        Buy fresh or frozen ingredients. Canned or pickled vegetables tend to be loaded with harmful salt.

-        Try avoiding processed meats like bacon, salami, corned beef and ham as they are loaded with salt. Many processed foods are also high in salt, check the nutritional label on the pack and see.

-        Use ‘no added salt’ margarine and butter and eat lower salt cheese varieties.

-        Breads and cereals can also contain salt. Try purchasing salt reduced products where possible.

-        By consuming fish at least once a week you will reduce the need for iodised salt in your diet.

-        Products such as soy sauce, canned tomato sauce, processed sauces and condiments like mayonnaise, ketchup and most salad dressings do contain large amounts of salt. Once again check the labels and buy “reduced salt” varieties where possible.

Eat a Sandwich

You can create healthy sandwiches by simply:

-        Consuming wholegrain, high fibre or reduced salt bread

-        Avoiding butter or margarines. Try spreading some avocado on your bread and simply add some lettuce, tomato or slices of a hardboiled egg.

-        Replace high saturated fat spreads such as butter and cream cheese with a thin layer of peanut butter, hummus, tzatziki, avocado, or low fat cheese.

-        Replace processed meats with fish, such as tuna or salmon. Use water-based or brine-based products if fish is canned.

Healthy Cooking Summary

-        You will find that in most cases, your favourite recipes can be modified to suit your diet and lifestyle. If you like the food you eat your cravings will stop and you will lose weight.

-        Create shopping lists and avoid impulse buying.

-        Read the labels, focussing on salt quantities and saturated fats.

-        Eat in moderation and stick to a meal plan.

-        Count your calories

By following these basic steps, before you know it you will not only have reached your perfect weight, but will also have created a healthy lifestyle for you and your family.