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The foods you serve have a different nutritional value depending on the cooking techniques you choose. For instance, prolonged heat exposure lowers food's overall vitamin content while raising the availability of particular antioxidant phytochemicals. Additionally, meals typically include a lot of calories when prepared using techniques that call for additional fats or oils.
Here's a look at a few various cooking techniques and how they impact the nutritional value of your food. It's important to first understand which nutrients are more sensitive to heating. Most minerals and vitamin K are generally unaffected by temperature changes or by coming into contact with water, heat, or air.
Potassium is an exception since it can be lost to cooking liquids. With the exception of riboflavin and niacin, heat degrades vitamins E and C as well as the majority of B-complex vitamins. Potassium, the majority of the B-complex vitamins, and vitamin C will all be harmed or leached into water during cooking. Vitamins A, D, and E can be diminished by cooking in fat.
There are more factors to consider when selecting a healthy cooking method because not all cooking methods affect food in the same way. Additionally, since humans enjoy eating, it's crucial to take into account how cooking affects the flavour and texture of food.
The 5 Healthy Cooking Methods To Try:
Steaming:
In addition to being a quick and fast method of food preparation, steaming has a number of advantages in terms of health. Compared to when these same veggies are ingested raw, steaming vegetables like carrots, peppers, and cabbage can help supply more antioxidants, according to Cornell University research. Due to the food's minimal contact with water during steaming as opposed to boiling, water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin C and the majority of B vitamins, may also be kept.
Roasting And Baking:
Cooking using dry heat is similar to roasting and baking. Cooking with dry heat is different from cooking with wet heat, in which the meat is cooked in water or another liquid. Traditionally, roasting refers to the process of cooking meat in a sizable pan known as a roasting pan.
A rack is frequently included in a roasting pan to keep the meat elevated above the cooking liquids that run down. Red meat, on the other hand, is typically not baked; instead, poultry and fish are. In a baking dish, which may or may not be covered, the meat is cooked.
Grilling:
Cooking meals on a grill can result in flavorful results. However, grilling over an open flame and at high temperatures can result in the development of chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), both of which have the potential to be toxic. Foods cooked on a grill are healthier because they contain less fat than those cooked using other methods, such as frying. Furthermore, the food item retains a certain level of nutrients.
Air-Frying:
Being a healthier alternative to frying, air-frying is growing in popularity as a culinary technique. The amount of oil required in an air fryer is essentially nothing in comparison to the amount used when frying food, resulting in less fat and fewer calories.
To cook the meal, hot air is circulated, leaving a fried finish with little to no oil. Additionally, using this technique can help food retain more of its nutrients. An air-fryer is a flexible cooking appliance that may be used to prepare a range of foods. Food can be prepared very rapidly as well.
Sautéing:
A tiny amount of fat is typically needed during sautéing, a dry-heat technique, to prevent food from adhering to the pan. Vegetables and some varieties of tender or seasoned meats are frequently served with it. Due to the small amount of oil added and the quick cooking period, fewer nutrients are lost.
