9 Ways to Boost Nutrition in Cooking

In this busy life, it is important to stay healthy and maintain a healthier lifestyle. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, nutritional foods play a vital role. In this article, we will discuss on the 9 ways to boost nutrition in cooking and the techniques of cooking so that we can get most out of the cooking for a healthy life. By following these steps you can double up the nutritional value of your meals and promote a healthier lifestyle for you and your family.

9 Ways to boost nutrition in cooking

1. Cook with Healthy Oils:

Cut down the saturated fats and trans fats use healthier options like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. These oils are rich in monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease. Moreover, they add a delightful flavor to your dishes, enhancing the overall culinary experience. Increase the intake of healthy fats from flax seeds, almonds etc.

2. Don’t Cook Oils on High Heat:

Low-heat cooking or baking (less than 240 degrees) prevents oils or fats from turning carcinogenic. Instead of deep-frying, pan-frying, and sauteing, opt for healthier methods such as baking, boiling, steaming or broiling.

3. Get 10 Times the Iron:

Cooking with tomatoes, apples or lemons? Heat acidic foods like these in a cast iron pot or skillet to spike the amount of energy-boosting iron you absorb by more than 200%, suggests Texas Tech University study. “Some iron from the skillet leaches into the food, but the particles are small enough that you would not be able to see or taste them – and it is perfectly safe”, says Cynthia Sass, RD, MPH, nutrition director at Prevention.

Bonus tip: You would not have to pull out a pan, coupling certain iron-rich foods with high-acid ones gives a tenfold boost to your iron absorption. “While the iron in red meat is easily absorbed on its own, the type of iron found in beans, grains and veggies is not”, says Sass. When making a spinach salad, toss in the mango slices to increase the iron payoff. Other healthy combos: beans and tomato sauce or cereal and strawberries.

4. Strengthen Eyes and Bones:

Adding avocado, olive oil, nuts, olives or another healthy fat source to red, green, orange and yellow fruits and veggies increases the amount of fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, E and K. Eat a wide range of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. They are rich in phytochemicals (lant nutrients), a potent disease-fighting and immune boosting nutrient that helps to maintain eyes and bone health. The greater the variety of colors you include, the more you will benefit, since different colors are rich in different phytochemicals.

5. Stock up Calcium:

If you are preparing homemade chicken soup, it is smart to add a hint of lemon juice, vinegar or tomato to the mix. Pairing a slightly acidic breth with on-the-bone chicken can up the soup’s Calcium content by 64%, according to researchers at Harvard University and Beth Israel Hospital.

Bonus tip: Other research that was referenced in the Harvard and Beth Israel study has shown that slathering spareribs with an acidic vinegar based barbecue sauce will dramatically increase the calcium content.

6. Grill without Worry:

the high heat needed to grill meats can create carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), but marinating can help. The way you cook your food can impact its nutritional value. To preserve nutrients, consider steaming, roasting or sauteing instead of deep-frying. Steaming vegetables, for example, retains more of their vitamins and minerals compared to boiling.

7 Fighting Colds and Flu:

When you are slicing and dicing fresh produce, cut large pieces. Lots of small portions expose more of the fruit or vegetables to nutrient-leaching oxygen and light. “A larger cut allows you to hold on to more vitamin C, which helps bolster immunity”, says Roberta Larson Duffy, RD, author of the American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition. Quarter carrot, potatoes and tomatoes instead of dicing them, slice melons into crescent rather than cubing.

8. Retina Key Nutrients:

Save yourself sometime – and some key nutrients- by not peeling brinjal, apples, potatoes and other produce before using. “The peel itself is a natural barrier against nutrient loss, and many vitamins and minerals are found in the outer skin or just below it” says Duffy. Yam skin is loaded with fiber, and zucchini is full of lutein, which may help prevent age-related muscular degeneration, for example. (Remove grit and pathogens with cold, running water and a vegetable brush).

Bonus tip: Add citrus zest to your favorite recipes. A university of Arizona study linked eating limonene- a compound in lemon, lime and orange peel – to a 34% reduction in skin cancer.

9. Double the Antioxidants:

Antioxidants are powerful vitamins that protect against cancer and help the cells in your body function optimally. Explore the superfoods as they are the nature’s nutritional powerhouses. Incorporate ingredients like kale, spinach, blueberries and almonds into your recipes. These superfoods are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Spices such as ginger, and cumin also upped the antioxidants quotient.

Elevate your dishes with an aromatic palette of herbs and spices. Not only do they add depth and complexity to your meals, but many also offer health benefits. Turmeric, for example, boasts anti-inflammatory properties, while garlic supports cardiovascular health.

Conclusion:

By implementing these 9 ways to boost nutrition in cooking, you are not only enhancing the nutritional value of your everyday meals but also experience a variety of your cooking style. It is a long-term journey towards a healthier lifestyle that only give you the blessing of taste and well-being.