Which cooking methods are healthy

Cooking is a very important aspect that nutritionists pay a lot of attention to.

The method of cooking a dish depends not only on its caloric content, but also on the extent to which the original amount of nutrients can be preserved.

According to research, the right way to process foods allows:

• preserve macro- and microelements;
• increase the digestibility of nutrients;
• improve the appearance and flavor of foods and ready meals;
• prevent the possibility of food infections;
• prevent the formation of substances that have an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract;
• prevent the formation of substances that have a negative effect on metabolic processes in the body.

In order to preserve more useful substances in products during cold processing, the following rules should be observed:

1. Do not defrost meat and poultry in water, as in this case meat products lose their juice, and with it nutrients (trace elements, vitamins) pass into the water. Thaw meat products only in the air.
2. In peeled and especially in cut vegetables vitamins are quickly destroyed (especially vitamin C), so peel products should be immediately before heat treatment.
3. The peel of fruits and vegetables should be removed from a thin layer, because the upper part of these products is the richest in vitamins.
4. Some cereals (rice, buckwheat, pearl) and legumes (peas, beans, lentils) to reduce the loss of nutrients and shorten the cooking time before heat treatment soak in cold water for 2-3 hours.
5. Do not keep products in the peeled and sliced form in water or in the air (for example, peeled potatoes in water after half an hour loses up to 40% of vitamin C from its original amount).

Boiling is one of the most common types of heat treatment of food products by heating in boiling liquid (e.g., water, milk, broth) or in an atmosphere of saturated steam. After boiling foods, proteins are better digested, because the structure of protein molecules is partially destroyed, which contributes to their better breakdown by enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract.

The following types of cooking are distinguished:

1. cooking in liquid;
2. cooking under increased pressure;
3. steaming;
4. poaching;
5. cooking in microwave - devices.

Please note: the preservation of nutrients is higher when cooking in microwave than in any other type of boiling.

In order to preserve more nutrients during cooking:

1. Put the food not in cold, but already in boiling water;

2. The larger the volume of water in which the food is boiled, the more vitamins and minerals the food will lose, so cook the food:

- in a small volume of liquid;
- in a closed container;
- over moderate heat;
- without boiling vigorously.

When the temperature rises to 700 C in the products begins a process called "coagulation" (coagulation) of protein, as a result of which foam is formed on the surface of the broth. In order for the broth to be transparent, it should be cooked at a moderate boil, and the foam accumulating on the surface should be periodically removed.

Roasting (frying) is a method of heat treatment of foodstuffs in hot fat on a frying surface. The term "frying" means short-term frying without cooking.

The following types of frying are distinguished:

1. Frying proper;
2. Sautéing;
3. Deep frying;
4. WOK frying. 

The latter has advantages over traditional types of frying:

- heat is distributed evenly over the entire surface of WOK cookware, therefore: cooking time is significantly reduced (any dish can be cooked in up to 15 minutes);

- at this speed the food is quickly covered with a crispy crust, preserving under it a delicate juicy taste and a lot of useful substances, and practically does not change its color (especially vegetables);

- does not require large amounts of fat. Food in WOK cookware never burns, because the thin oil film covering the entire inner surface turns into a non-stick coating.

The main requirement when cooking in WOK dishes is to chop all ingredients finely enough and fry in small portions.

Why do doctors do not recommend frying?

• During the frying process, part of the fat is absorbed by the fried product, resulting in a significant increase in the caloric content of the dish.
• At temperatures above 180 degrees, fat breaks down into resinous and gaseous substances, which sharply deteriorate the quality of the food. A sign of this process is the appearance of smoke.
• During frying at high temperatures in fats the formation of trans-isomers of fatty acids, which have high carcinogenic properties.
• Frying reduces the nutritional value of fats due to the breakdown of useful fatty acids. Especially important are the losses of linoleic and arachidonic acids (up to 20-40%).

It is recommended to replace frying with grilling (roasting the product without contact with the frying surface). With this method of cooking, the calorie content of the finished dish will be significantly lower - due to the absence of added fat and fat loss due to melted out of the product.

Stewing - heat treatment in water with the addition of products containing acidic medium (sour cream, cream, vinegar, juices, wine, sauces, etc.) and fats (vegetable oil, butter).

Stew, as a rule, products containing rough connective tissue (meat, poultry) or rough fiber (root vegetables, legumes, cabbage).

Under the influence of acidic environment products soften much faster, because:

• The breakdown of collagen, which is contained in connective tissue, is accelerated. Collagen changes into glutin, which is highly soluble in hot water;
• the cell walls of the vegetables become more friable and collapse.

Baking - heat treatment of the product in an atmosphere of hot air at a temperature of 150-250 С. Baking can be an independent type of heat treatment, and additional. Food cooked in the oven retains its color, shape and texture. However, nutritionists do not recommend using this type of heat treatment for meat (high temperature oxidizes animal fats and promotes the formation of substances that accelerate the aging of the body).

Vacuum cooking (also sous-vide, from Fr. sous-vide, "under vacuum") is a cooking method in which meat or vegetables are placed in a plastic bag with evacuated air and slowly cooked at a relatively low and precisely controlled temperature (50 C to 85 C), usually in a water bath (the process can last from 20 minutes to 72 hours). It is considered unsafe to use conventional food pouches as they are not designed for such long heating times. 

The peculiarity of the technology "sous vide" is that the products are cooked in a vacuum, thanks to which they do not lose a single percent of useful substances during processing. Sous vide is one of the most important improvements in modern cooking, which, despite the relative complexity of the equipment, actually simplifies the cooking process.

Thus, when choosing a cooking option, favor the healthiest methods:

1. Steaming;
2. Boiling;
3. Baking;
4. Braising;
5. Grilling;
6. Sous vide.

How is cooking on a grill better than frying in a frying pan?

In both cases, the product is cooked under the influence of high temperature. But in the grill version we do not add additional fats, as in frying in a frying pan. This reduces the calorie content of the dish. In addition, when we grill meat or vegetables, a thick crust forms on them. It is good because it protects the product from further destruction and evaporation of liquid - all the juices and useful substances are preserved inside. So grilling is definitely one of the healthier ways of cooking.