Do you want to stay slim? Choose the right cooking methods

Proper nutrition, we believe, begins with choosing the right foods: low-calorie, low-fat, etc. But for some reason we forget that it is equally important to prepare them correctly:

after all, even a chicken breast fried in oil will be as dangerous for your figure as a piece of cake. What cooking methods should those trying to lose weight choose? Let's talk with a nutritionist.

The cooking method you choose directly determines whether the dish will be healthy.

Nutrition experts do not favor frying: mainly due to the use of oil or animal fat, which are “guilty” not only of increasing the calorie content of the dish. “If the oil is heat treated for more than 4 minutes, the fats turn into trans fats, which are dangerous for the cardiovascular system. Regular use of such “fried” fats leads to early sclerotization of blood vessels, especially the brain,” says Rimma Moisenko, nutritionist, head of the Rimmarita Center for Aesthetic Medicine.

By the way, stewing is also not the healthiest way to cook. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures destroys the structure of the fibers, and products lose their beneficial properties. “Carbohydrates in vegetables and starchy foods break down into glucose and raise the glycemic index of the product. This is especially disadvantageous for those who are overweight and have impaired carbohydrate metabolism. TO Rupes that have been stewed are also broken down into glucose. What does this mean? Because the feeling of fullness after eating them will leave you quite quickly,” explains the nutritionist.

Boiling

Cooked products are quickly and easily absorbed by the body, which allows us to receive all the useful microelements. In addition, boiling eliminates the use of oil, which makes food less caloric.
However, boiling also has its own nuances. For example, when cooked, most products fall apart, become less crispy, and lose their rich taste. “In addition, if you cook products of animal origin this way, then all the toxic elements and metal salts contained in the meat can escape into the first broth against the background of high cooking temperatures. Therefore, it is important to drain the first broth after boiling, and cook the main dish using the secondary broth,” advises Rimma Moisenko.

Useful tips
Are you cooking vegetables? Do this with the lid closed at maximum temperature and the minimum amount of water that just barely covers the food. “This way you minimize the release of vitamins and microelements and their release into the water. It is better to cook vegetables until half cooked in order to preserve their nutritional value and not increase the glycemic index,” explains the nutritionist.

As for pureed soups, vegetables should not be boiled for them either. It is better to process semi-hard foods with a blender to preserve vitamins and fiber.
Are you cooking grains? Keep this in mind: when cooking some grains, B vitamins pass into the broth, so you shouldn’t add too much water to them. Add just a little liquid to the pan so that after the cereal swells in it, you do not have to drain off the excess broth.

Steaming

This method is one of the most successful for preserving the nutritional value of both meat and vegetables. “Firstly, the products are prepared without oil, and secondly, they turn out juicy, and at the same time low in calories, are easily digestible and do not contain any irritants. This food is ideal for those who want to lose weight - it quickly fills you up and does not cause increased appetite,” explains the nutritionist.
However, the taste of such dishes, as a rule, turns out to be bland, and not everyone likes this. In addition, it is quite risky to steam large pieces of meat - they may not steam completely, which is quite dangerous to health.

Useful tips
You can “dilute” the bland taste of the dish by adding herbs and garlic.

Baking

Baking preserves the shape, texture, color, taste and quality of the product. In addition, this method of cooking does not require much attention: put the chicken and vegetables in the oven and go do other things.
However, products containing hidden fats lose their benefit for losing weight when baked. “Even lean meat in this case releases a fairly large amount of fat. Therefore, baking animal fats is not suitable for the category of people who are losing weight and have severe gastrointestinal diseases,” says the nutritionist. But vegetables, on the contrary, retain their beneficial nutritional value when baked.

Useful tips
An ideal option for this cooking method are root vegetables: in the oven they retain their structure, and under the influence of dry heat, the sugars in them caramelize and give the dish an original sweet flavor. Don't believe me? Compare the taste of boiled and baked beets.

It is better to bake food without using a sleeve

But experts do not approve of using a baking sleeve. The plastic from which it is made can release toxic substances into food at high temperatures. Foil in this sense is a safer option.

Grilling

“This method allows us to cook without oil. True, the usefulness of the product will depend on what kind of grill you used - electric, convection oven, etc.,” says the nutritionist. For example, electric models allow us to cook healthier food, unlike when we bake something over an open fire: the same lighter fluid releases different chemical compositions into the food. And the fat flowing through the device is quickly disposed of without forming repeated carcinogenic smoke.
However, cooking meat over an open fire is quite dangerous - it may not cook completely, which increases the risk of getting an infectious disease.

Useful tips
It is very important to follow the cooking rules, in which the grill does not allow the product to char and retains all the internal juices. “To do this, select the height from the fire, the cooking time and the speed of rotation of the product around its axis. The air fryer takes these parameters into account and allows you to accurately prepare healthy food compared to grilled food outdoors,” advises the specialist.

Dry frying

Teflon coated frying pans make it possible to fry foods without oil. And this, as is already clear, is a minimum of calories and no trans fats.
However, it has long been proven that such frying pans, when regularly exposed to high temperatures, after several years of operation begin to release carcinogenic substances that penetrate into food. The more scratches there are on the dishes, the more carcinogens get into the product.

Useful tips
According to the nutritionist, cast iron frying pans are safe in this sense. And if the product releases juices during frying, then it is better to use parchment paper: lay it on a frying pan, and place vegetables or meat on top - this technique will help avoid charring of the food.
However, you can do without oil in another way: heat the frying pan over very low heat, add chopped onion and add some salt, stir. Simmer the vegetable over low heat for 10-12 minutes - during this time it will give quite a lot of juice, which will replace the oil. Then add the rest of the ingredients.

"Sous Vide"

This is cooking food in a vacuum at low temperature (47-80 degrees) for a long time. “If a product is prepared under vacuum, then it really does not lose even one percent of its nutritional value during heat treatment,” says the nutritionist.
However, the main disadvantage of this method is that the products are cooked very slowly and in special equipment, which, as a rule, is only available in special restaurants specializing in sous vide.

Useful tips
You can try the sous vide variation at home. The safest way to experiment with fish is to place a small piece of salmon in a Ziploc bag or any other bag that is tight and has a valve on top. Add a little salt, spices and herbs to taste, 1 tsp. oils Then gradually lower it into a container with warm running water with the clasp up - the air from the bag will gradually rise up, you can release it from there with your hands. Close the valve and leave the bag in a container with running water for 50-70 minutes. You can determine the readiness of the dish by its appearance - the fish should turn a soft pink color.

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