Cooking with Oils

Cooking with Oils

Everyone knows the foods to eat that improve health,
although how we cook the food can be just as important.
With there being so many oils and butter products
claiming to be the best, it can be quite difficult
to know which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

1.  Canola oil
Canola oil is a popular oil, with many physicians
claiming that it has the ability to lower the risk
of heart disease.  The oil is low in saturated fat,
high in monounsaturated fat, and offers the best
fatty acid composition when compared to other oils.

You can use canola oil in sauting, as a marinade
and even in low temperature stir frying.  It has
a bland flavor, which makes it a great oil for foods
that contain many spices.  Unlike other oils, this
one won't interfere with the taste of your meal.

2.  Olive oil
olive oil offers a very distinct flavor with plenty
of heart healthy ingedients.  The oil is rich in
monounsaturated fat, helps to lower cholesterol
levels and reduce risk of cancer.  It's also rich
in antioxidants and has a very long storage life.

Even though it can be used in cooking, it's the
healthiest when uncooked, such as with a salad or
dipping sauce.  When you use it with cooking, you
should heat it on low to medium temperatures, making
sure to avoid high heat.

3.  Butter
Butter is one food that has been around for many,
many years.  Butter tastes good, and offers sources
of Vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins such as
E, K, and even D.  Butter is also made from natural
ingredients and not chemically or artificially
processed.

You can use butter with cooking, baking, or even as
a spread.  You can also pair it with creamy sauces,
marinades, baked dishes, or even bread.

4.  Margarine
Margarine was first introduced as an alternative to
high fat butter.  When it was first created however,
it was loaded with trans fat, a substance that we
now know raises bad cholesterol.

As a cooking oil, margarine tastes good, it's lower
in fat than most oils and butter, and it's quite
easy to spread.  It's available in a variety of
different products and a good source of vitamin E.

When it comes to cooking with oils, there are
several at your disposal.  There are many more than
what is mentioned here, although the ones above are
the most popular.  Eating healthy involves cooking
healthy food - which is where your cooking oil really
takes center stage.

Squeezing Healthy Meal Plans into a Hectic Life

Squeezing Healthy Meal Plans into a Hectic Life

Just like a lot of you guys, I’m super busy. There are things I just don’t have time to do. However, no matter how hectic my life gets, I always make time for healthy meal plans. Is it easy? Not always. But good health is something I value; so the extra time I put into planning and preparing wholesome meals is well worth it. No matter how rushed life gets, you too can find time for good nutrition.

Plan Your Menus Ahead of Time

Instead of playing mealtimes by ear, plan your menu a week in advance. Weekly menu planning only takes a few minutes, but it can make working healthy meals into your life a lot easier. You can create a simple menu template on your computer or you can take a blank sheet of paper, divide it into sections and write down your meals and snacks for the week.

Some of you might find it more convenient to use a dry erase board for menu planning. There’s no right or wrong way to create a menu. It’s all about what works best for you. The only stipulation is that the meals you plan must be nutritious (no processed foods allowed). Once you finish making your menu, stick it on the refrigerator or somewhere else that’s visible.

Get Your Grocery Shopping Done in One Swoop

You’re more likely to stick with a nutritious meal plan if you don’t have to make a mad dash to the grocery store everyday. Use your preplanned menu to make a list of all the foods you need to prepare your meals. Designate one day a week for grocery shopping so you can get it over with.

Take your list with you to the store so you won’t forget anything. No more running back and forth to the market because you forgot important ingredients. Using a list also helps you stay on track and reduces the temptation to fill your buggy with cookies, chips and other junk.

Prepare Extra Food and Keep Meals Simple

Prepare more food than you need for one meal so you can have leftovers for the next day. For instance, instead of preparing half of a chicken for dinner, go ahead and pop the whole thing into the oven. When you get ready to eat the leftovers, simply heat them up. Cooking enough for more than one meal reduces your time in the kitchen and makes mealtimes less taxing (take it from the queen of leftovers).

Gourmet meals are nice (and yummy), but they’re overrated. Unless you’re throwing a fancy dinner party, the meals you prepare don’t have to bear any resemblance to a gourmet meal. If you enjoy cooking this way, it’s perfectly fine. But if you’re short on time, quick dishes like salads topped with boiled eggs or salmon work for any meal.

When you live life at record speed, sticking to a nutritious meal plan can be tough. However, if you want to lose weight and improve your health, squeezing time out of your busy day to plan and prepare wholesome meals is important. Give the tips above a try – they just might work for you.

Want a jump start on healthy meal plans? The Diet Solution Program can help. Don’t spend another day with a diet that takes up all of your time!

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