Healthy cooking can at times seem impossible. By keeping a few basic guidelines in mind when it comes to limiting certain foods, you can be sure to have meals that are tasty and nutritious. For best results, be sure to avoid the inclusion of high amounts of butter, white carbohydrates, sugar and salt in your meals.
1. Butter
One of the most important foods that you must ban from your kitchen if you are interested in achieving lasting, healthy weight loss is butter. Butter is made from unsaturated fat, which is one of the most unhealthy fats that you can eat. Unsaturated fat has been found not only to be a major contributor to the development of obesity, but it’s also strongly linked to other serious, long term health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and some forms of cancer. If you’re using a recipe that calls for butter, try substituting a healthier fat in its place. Olive oil, for example, is a fat that provides a great taste to food without causing deficits in your health.
2. White Carbohydrates
“White carbohydrates” are another food that must be eliminated from your kitchen in order to follow a healthy diet. White carbohydrates can be defined as any type of carbohydrate that is made from bleached white flour, including white bread, pasta and other similar items. These foods have been stripped of the majority of their fiber, which is one of the most important components of any grain. Fiber not only helps to keep your digestive system regular, but can also be effective at achieving weight loss and preventing cancer. When making pasta, sandwiches or other meals that incorporate these carbohydrates, be sure to choose carb sources that are unbleached in order to get the healthiest meal possible.
3. Sugar
Avoiding sugar is also very important if you’re interested in healthy cooking. While sugar does not contain a whole lot of calories (only four per gram, as opposed to the nine calories per gram contained in fat), consumption of high amounts of sugar does pose other health risks. In addition to the high rate of cavities experienced by individuals who consume lots of this food, sugar has also been found to contribute to the development and increasing severity of diabetes.
4. Salt
One last food that you should avoid in order to achieve healthier cooking is salt. High salt intake has not only been linked to several chronic health conditions, such as arterial disease and stroke, but the regular intake of high amounts of dietary sodium can lead to water retention and subsequent weight gain. Substitute your salt shaker for herbs and spices. These products will not only lend a delicious flavor to your foods, but will also ensure that you are getting a healthier meal altogether.
