Cooking Tips

Antioxidants

One of the best ways to keep your immune system strong and prevent colds and flu is to shop your supermarket’s produce aisle. That’s because a diet rich in fruits and vegetables contains immune-boosting antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells and may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

Antioxidants may help increase our immune function and protect against cancer and heart disease. What counts as an antioxidant? Beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E are all antioxidants.

Antioxidants are found in many foods. They are especially abundant in fruits and vegetables with purple, blue, red, orange and yellow hues. These include broccoli, carrots, kale, squash, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, red grapes, and grapefruit to name a few. To get the biggest benefits of antioxidants, eat these foods raw or lightly steamed; don’t overcook or boil.

Researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries were among the top 11 foods for antioxidant activity.

Anti-Inflammation

Some foods have actually been linked to increased inflammation. These include processed foods, refined sugars, and fatty red meats. Limit these for a healthful diet. More research is needed in the area of diet and inflammation, but including the above-listed foods in our diets has shown positive effects on our health.

Buffalo

The Native American population currently suffers from the highest rates of type 2 diabetes as well as high rates of cardiovascular disease and other diet-related diseases. Studies indicate type 2 diabetes commonly emerges when a population undergoes radical diet changes. Native Americans have been forced to abandon traditional diets rich in wild game, buffalo and plants and now have diets similar in composition to average American diets. Bison was the main diet of the Plains Indians who never had cancer, heart disease or diabetes.

Buffalo meat or bison is known as the heart-healthy red meat because of its lean composition. Ounce for ounce, bison has only about ¼ of the fat that beef has and contains more healthy fats than beef. Buffalo meat not only contains fewer calories and less fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, or chicken but is also rich in flavor. Buffalo meat is a significant source of iron and protein. A serving of buffalo meat also has as much calcium as a 6 oz. glass of milk; as much potassium as a medium banana; and contains vitamins E, B6, and B12.

Although buffalo meat is similar to beef, it needs to be handled and cooked differently. Most recipes for other red meats can be adapted to buffalo. The important things to remember are to not overcook the meat or let it dry out. Buffalo, with its low-fat content, should be cooked slowly at low heat. Very slow, moist heat works especially well with the less tender cuts of buffalo, such as chuck. Ground buffalo can be cooked similar to ground beef, but once again, at a lower temperature.

Butter vs Margarine

The debate of whether butter or margarine is better for our health has been going on for many years. It is difficult to actually determine if one is healthier than the other, but they do contain different amounts of cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fat. Consuming too much of these fats can raise a person’s bad cholesterol, also known as LDL. Large amounts of trans fat consumption can also lower one’s good cholesterol or HDL.

Butter is high in cholesterol because it is made from animal fat, but margarine contains no cholesterol because it is made from vegetable oils. So if one needs to limit cholesterol in their diet, margarine takes the lead. Butter also contains a significant amount of saturated fat, whereas margarine contains a small amount of saturated fat. Margarine, however, typically contains a large amount of trans fat compared to butter. The more solid the margarine, the higher the amount of trans fat it contains; stick margarine usually contains more trans fat than tub margarine.

Butter and margarine both have unhealthy components. Now that you have the facts on both, you will be able to make the best decision for your health. Keep in mind that both butter and margarine should be used sparingly due to the high caloric content. They are each unhealthy in their own way, but like many foods, it comes down to consuming them in moderation. There are also many butter substitutes on the market today, some better than others. Look for those low in cholesterol and saturated fats and no trans fats. Some even have added plant sterols, which help support healthy cholesterol levels.

Canned and Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables often are viewed as less healthy, but in reality they often times are just as good for you as fresh produce. Canned and frozen produce is picked at its peak and canned very shortly after being harvested. Sometimes some B and C vitamins are lost during the canning process, but the majority of nutrients remain at the same level once they are canned or frozen. Reaching the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables can be achieved much more easily when you have a variety of fresh, frozen, and canned produce. Cooking with canned and frozen produce also helps save on time by taking out the prep work. In the summer months, fresh fruits and vegetables are more readily available, often at a more affordable price. In the winter months, canned and frozen vegetables can be added to a variety of dishes, while staying in your budget. Canned and frozen produce also has a long shelf/freezer life if stored properly which enables one to always have fruits and vegetables on hand without having to worry about using them up quickly.

Most of us are not getting even close to the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, so squeeze in produce however you can with fresh, frozen or canned varieties.

Coconut Oil

A hot topic in the food and nutrition world right now is coconut oil. Some claim it as a superfood, others claim it may increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Let’s take a closer look at this controversial food. MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides) has been marketed to aid in weight loss. While coconut oil does contain some MCTs, the main fat in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is considered a long-chain triglyceride. Also, consumption of coconut oil has been found to make people feel hungrier and less full than did other sources of fat such as olive oil. Additionally, coconut oil is high in calories, which means high intakes of it could make it hard to achieve significant if any, weight loss. The high saturated fat content of coconut oil can raise our LDL or “bad” cholesterol.  The American Heart Association actually advises against the use of coconut oil due to its link to increasing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, a cause of CVD. Just 1 tablespoon of coconut oil contains 12g of saturated fat, which is roughly the same as the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association, or the same as 3 ½ jelly donuts, or 10 squares of chocolate. Some studies of populations in the Pacific islands which include a lot of coconuts in their diet found no increased risk of heart disease, but this does not necessarily prove that coconut oil is heart-healthy, as these populations were consuming coconut flesh and coconut milk, rather than just the extracted oil. This research also does not take into consideration their activity level and or the fact that their diet is also high in fish, fruit, and vegetables. There is currently no good evidence that coconut oil reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases or viral infections.

Bottom line: High coconut oil intake may increase cardiovascular disease risk. Coconut oil is okay to have as part of a balanced diet in small amounts if you like the taste, but there is currently no good evidence that consuming coconut oil adds specific health benefits.

Choosing Cooking Oils

You may already know that choosing cooking oils over butter or margarine is better for your health. But with all the varieties of cooking oils, how do you choose the right one for you? Cooking oils such as canola, olive, peanut and safflower oil contain healthy fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These healthy fats can lower LDL levels and, in turn, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Choosing an oil with a healthy omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids ratio is also important. While both are essential to the body, it is recommended to get between a 2-to-1 ratio of omega-6 to omega 3s to a 4-to-1 ratio. Most Americans get a 10-to-1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3s. Omega-3s are abundant in fish, whereas omega-6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils like corn, safflower, and sunflower oil. Canola oil has a 2-to-1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, which makes it a healthy choice. When choosing a cooking oil, the smoke point is also of great importance. The smoke point is the temperature the oil can be heated to before it starts to smoke. Heating oil longer than that point can cause it to taste bad and also can create free radicals that can potentially damage healthy cells in the body.

Here are the highlights for some cooking oils that may be beneficial when you are choosing a cooking oil the next time you go to the store.

Traditional Cooking Methods

Cooking methods have changed drastically over the past couple hundred years with new innovations and technology. Many years ago, there were no blenders, toasters, microwaves, and all the other small appliances you would see in the modern kitchen today. Back then, Native Americans were very resourceful with a variety of materials for making cooking utensils and tools for various cooking methods. Native Americans traditionally made the majority of their cooking tools from stone, clay, bone, wood and animal hide. They used every part of the animals that they hunted. Native American methods of cooking are unique in that the heat source was often enclosed within the cookware. They made boiling sacks by forging the tanned hides or bladders of animals into sacks. After filling them with water they hung the boiling sack above a fire but far enough away to prevent damage to the sack. They placed extremely hot rocks into the water to bring it to a boiling point, added food and boiled it. Celts were cooking tools used for pounding food and made of stone that resembled arrowheads, but they were blunter, bigger and chunkier. Native American cooking pots were commonly made from clay and were hung on tripods made from stone. Sticks burned underneath to create heat for food to cook inside the pots. Cooking baskets were made of woven material often coated with clay for insulation for heating food. Wood coals would be placed in the cooking basket to roast meat and hot stones were used to cook other types of food such as soups. As the food cooked, the clay covering the basket would harden and eventually separate from the basket, thus becoming useful as a separate clay roasting pan. Grinding stones were pairs of rocks, one small and the other larger and flatter. This was used as a mortar and pestle, and the food would go on the larger rock and be ground by the smaller rock. This was often used for cracking nuts and pulverizing roots. Gourds were hollowed out and dried and used as spoons, bowls, and storage containers. Often times various vegetables, fruits, and meats were dried and stored for the winter months. Native American cuisine uses many different types of cooking methods, some of which have been passed on from generation to generation. Today, modern cooking methods have been adapted into Native American cuisine, but food may still be cooked following traditional methods and using recipes with only indigenous ingredients.

Cooking Vegetables

Research has linked vegetable consumption to weighing less, having better mental health outcomes, having better digestive health, increasing longevity, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. We all know vegetables are good for us, but a question I often am asked is “what is the healthiest way to cook vegetables?” While some methods of cooking vegetables may reduce their nutrient content, the gold standard when it comes to maintaining overall nutritional quality is steaming them. While boiling vegetables can be considered a healthy way to cook as it adds no fat, it can lead to some nutrients leaching into the water, so it may be best to keep this method for when you will use the liquid you are boiling the vegetables in, such as with soups. Frying or sautéing vegetables adds fat and often unwanted calories to your meals. Also, if you are cooking your veggies on high heat in a pan, this may lead to charring them, which can damage some of the healthy compounds. If you do opt to fry your veggies, it’s best to do so on medium heat to reduce risk of overcooking them, and be sure to use a minimal amount of oil. Roasting vegetables can be a good alternative to frying, as they still maintain a crisp quality and excellent flavor, but can be cooked at a lower temperature. Vegetables, of course, do not always have to be cooked for us to eat them and many can be enjoyed best when raw. Although, some produce, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrots, are enhanced nutritionally when cooked. More importantly, it’s not always a matter of how you cook your vegetables, but that you prepare them and eat them in the first place.

Frying Alternatives

While fat may enhance our food’s taste, flavor, and juiciness, it also can carry some health consequences if we eat too much of it, particularly unhealthy fats in fried foods. Eating a diet high in fried foods can increase our cholesterol levels, which increases risk of heart disease. Fried foods are also calorie-dense, which can mean your jeans may start fitting tighter if you eat too much of them. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to frying our food that can allow the food to taste fried, but also be healthier.

Sauté and bake. We can combine these two cooking methods to give our food a crispy texture. Instead of deep-frying foods such as French fries, breaded fish, and chicken fingers, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, canola oil, or chicken broth in a sauté pan in order to brown the food on each side. After the food is browned, transfer to the oven to finish cooking.

Grill and bake. The grill can also be a useful tool to get that desirable crunch. For instance, browning chicken wings on the grill until the skin is crispy, and then transferring to the oven to continue cooking, results in a mouthwatering entrée.

Add a crumb coating. Panko breadcrumbs are larger in size compared to traditional breadcrumbs and bring a fantastic crunch to your meal. For instance, you can dip chicken in milk, then eggs, then coat with flour and panko breadcrumbs and bake for delicious, crunchy chicken strips.

Air fry. This new method of cooking circulates hot air around the cooking chamber using a convection fan. It allows for the crispiness of fried foods, but instead of tasting grease, you taste more of the flavors of the food. Airy fryers are a handy kitchen appliance that can slash the fat and greatly cut calories.

Using Food Past Its Prime

Something in the kitchen gets forgotten and ends up “past its prime”. Has this happened to you? If you’re like the majority of people, this has probably occurred in your household on more than one occasion. 51% of American households have thrown away food they bought but never used. Not that anyone really wants to waste the food, but it just happens. But, luckily, there are ways to make sure to use up those foods that may be getting close to tossing out. Older produce such as softer, limper vegetables can be used up in casseroles or soups. Fruit such as apples and pears that have gotten soft, may be used for delicious crisps or desserts. Old bread, with no mold, can be used to make croutons, stuffing, or a strata recipe. Fruits and vegetables that are a little past their prime can be blended up and used in homemade salad dressings or smoothies. Nine out of 10 Americans have thrown away food because they’re confused by the “sell by”, “use by”, and “best used by” dates on products. Here’s what you need to know about those expiration labels. If a food has an expiration or “use by” date you want to throw this food away once this date has passed for safety reasons. “Best used by” date is an indicator of peak quality and freshness, not food safety. “Sell by” date tells retailers when to pull food from the shelf. Just remember though, if in doubt, throw it out. If you’re not sure whether a food is safe, don’t eat it.

Food Waste

Nearly 40 percent of the United States food supply goes uneaten. The majority of this food loss comes from discarded food in homes and foodservice. Many resources such as fertilizer, cropland, and fresh water are used to produce uneaten food. By preventing food waste, we can save money and resources. It is important to develop habits to save more of the food we already have and put less strain on the resources associated with producing and buying food. There are many ways in which consumers can help reduce the amount of food wasted.

Follow these environment-friendly tips to limit food waste: