What Foods to Avoid When Healthy Cooking

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foods for healthy diet

With all the information about obesity and health related problems, the spotlight has been turned on the excessive consumption of fats and high cholesterol foods. Today the market offers a wide range of low fat and fat free foods to reduce the intake of fats. Let us look at what foods to avoid, to maintain a healthy cooking standard.

Cheese is a great source of calcium and protein for the body regardless of how it is consumed. However, cheese has a very high fat content and this is definitely not good for the body. It is possible to still enjoy cheese by choosing no fat or low fat options. Yogurt is now available in no fat plain varieties and feta cheese can replace the high fat cheddar cheese used in salads and other dishes.

Fats are found in full force in butter, shortening, oils and margarine. You can start by reducing the quantity of butter or oil used in cooking preparations and slowly move on to substituting things like mashed banana or applesauce (unsweetened) for the fat that goes into baking. The taste will be novel and not really bad at all. Meat and fish contain a certain amount of fat that can be reduced by trimming all the visible fat from the meat and removing the skin from poultry. Choose fresh fish rather than canned fish in oil for fish preparations. Substitute ground turkey meat for beef and try to use more beans and vegetables than meat in your food preparations.

Milk has a high fat content, but is essential for the calcium it provides the body. Opt for skim milk or soya milk. Don’t use cream in any of the dishes and use yogurt as a substitute whenever appropriate.

Dressings such as mayonnaise and store bought sauces have a very high fat content and plenty of calories. It is better to prepare low fat dressings by using vinegar, olive oil, fresh herbs and spices instead. Mustard for sandwiches is another fat free option.

Start using the oven and the microwave more than the frying pan for cooking healthy foods. Frying foods results in way too many calories and plenty of fat that just sits in the fried items. Grill your food or broil, poach, roast or bake food and you will be engaging in healthy cooking techniques.

Try to give up fried foods altogether at least when you cook food at home. The occasional binge at a fast food place is alright to keep the cravings for fried foods at bay.