The hardest part about healthy cooking is figuring out the overwhelming number of nutrients. Healthy cooking can prevent chronic diseases and make you more beautiful and healthier. The most critical thing is to return to whole foods, use fresh ingredients, and choose healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables in appropriate amounts.

Ingredients include fruits

Fruits can be eaten raw or used for cooking. Adding fruit to recipes is both creative and nutritious.

• Choose fresh local fruits that are in season. Eat citrus fruits in the spring, berries in the summer, and apples and pumpkins in the fall. The freshest fruits have the best taste and nutrition.

Do not add sucrose when cooking fruits. Choose healthy ways to enhance the flavor of your fruit. For example, bake apples with yogurt, cinnamon, walnuts, and dried cranberries; or add balsamic vinegar to strawberries to bring out their natural sweetness.

Don’t forget the juices and dried fruits. Fruit juices and dried fruits are healthy when consumed in moderation and can be added to many recipes. Add dried plums to Moroccan chicken for added fiber, or juice fresh oranges for salad dressing.

Use puree instead of fat when baking. Apple puree is a great substitute for vegetable oil when making muffins and bread. You need to check how much fat the puree can replace in the recipe. But puree adds moistness without making your fingers greasy, so it’s well worth it.

Cooking vegetables

One of the skills that chefs who create healthy meals possess is processing vegetables in a variety of ways while retaining their nutrients. Overcooked vegetables are bland and will discourage you from eating them.

Buy fresh vegetables when they are in season. Asparagus, spinach, and green onions are in-season vegetables in spring. Buy vegetables like tomatoes, squash, and beets in the summer. Acorns and butternut squash brighten the fall table. If you live in a warm climate, you can grow your vegetable garden so you can eat more vegetables that suit your taste.

Use healthy cooking methods when cooking vegetables. Cooking vegetables with butter or animal fat or pouring them into high-fat and high-calorie juices does not increase nutrition. Steaming or roasting vegetables with a little olive oil adds nutrients and enhances taste.

• Although too much oil is harmful to your health, adding a little vegetable oil (such as olive or canola oil) to green vegetables (such as leafy greens, broccoli, and kale) can help the absorption of nutrients.

Frozen vegetables are also an option. Freezing seasonal vegetables for future use allows you to eat vegetables year-round. Buying cut, frozen organic vegetables from the grocery store can speed up cooking.

Choose whole-grain foods

In the past, people had to go to natural food stores far away to buy a variety of grains. Nowadays, almost every supermarket sells healthy and delicious whole-grain foods.

Avoid refined carbohydrates. For example, use whole wheat or rye bread instead of regular white bread. The quality of whole wheat pasta now is also much better than before.

Cook creatively with whole grain foods. For example, add barley to beef stew, or serve whole-wheat tortillas with slivered almonds and dried fruit.

Try substituting quinoa, spelled, or North African millet for rice and pasta.

Choose the right amount of healthy protein

On many family dinner tables, a large piece of meat is the star. Choosing healthier and more appropriate proteins can help you supplement your nutrition while avoiding health risks.

Choose proteins high in omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon and eggs are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. This fatty acid strengthens brain and cardiovascular activity.

Remember there are other proteins besides meat. Beans or tofu are high in protein and fiber and have much fewer calories than meat. Cut tofu into cubes for soup, or use beans or cheese instead of meat to make stewed rice.

Keep track of the amount of protein you consume. Golden Rule: A moderate amount of protein is about the size of a deck of cards. Generally, the meat or protein consumed should not be larger or thicker than the palm of your hand.

Contains healthy dairy products

Dairy products contain essential nutrients: calcium and vitamin D, but they also contain unhealthy fats. Try to use low-fat dairy products for seasoning, which can reduce fat intake.

Choose low-fat dairy products. Low-fat or skim milk can replace cream or whole milk in many recipes. But be careful when baking: use low-fat milk instead of skim milk.

Use yogurt in a variety of ways. Yogurt is delicious and eaten plain, but it can also be added to soups or used to marinate meat. Salmon with lemon and dill yogurt is a nutritious and elegant meal. Check out Middle Eastern and Indian recipes for more ways to cook with yogurt.

When using cheese, focus on taste over quantity. By purchasing high-quality cheese, you can use less cheese without losing flavor. Sprinkle-grated Pecorino cheese on pizza to replace part of the mozzarella cheese, and add Gorgonzola cheese to salads in place of part of the cheddar cheese.

Use healthy oils wisely

Healthy oils are necessary. Cook with just the right amount of healthy fats and oils, without skipping them entirely.

Choose fats and oils that are low in saturated fat. Olive oil and canola oil are the healthiest cooking oils. Other nut and seed oils are also healthier. Substitute salmon or mackerel for beef. Avocados are also a source of good fats.

Avoid denatured fat. Hydrogenated foods keep longer at room temperature and contain denatured fats. People know that denatured fat is harmful to health, but they don’t know which foods contain it. Don’t forget to check the bag when you roll the chicken pieces in bread slices to make sure they don’t contain any denatured fat. Also, try to avoid margarine and ghee.

Quality over quantity. Choosing high-quality olive oil can reduce the amount used and increase the taste. You can also use European butter, which requires one-third the amount of regular butter.

Tips

• Organic food is expensive, but try to buy it if you can afford it. One of the keys to healthy cooking is to reduce the use of pesticides on plants and animals that are not fed properly.
• Everyone can use a dessert once in a while. Enjoy desserts on special occasions. Red velvet cake can be made for the holidays. But don’t eat desserts often, it’s better to eat them once every few weeks.
• Cooking with children can increase their awareness of healthy eating. According to a survey by Safe Food in Schools, children aged 4-8 who took simple cooking classes were better able to identify healthy foods than other children.
• Popular recipes are not necessarily healthy. Don’t just follow popular recipes, such as low-calorie recipes. Instead, eat more whole, natural, healthy foods and less processed foods.