Cook for a Healthy Heart

Oct 16
08:00

2011

Patrick Fitz-Gibbon

Patrick Fitz-Gibbon

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We examine how to distinguish between good and bad fats and how subtle changes can make for healthier cooking for you and your family.

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Fat is not necessarily bad for you,Cook for a Healthy Heart Articles in fact we all need fats to function correctly. It provides our bodies with energy and it additionally provides protection for our organs it the fatty tissue that we all have in our bodies. However we only need small amounts of fat and this is where you can make some changes to the way you cook. Excess amounts of fatty foods will not only result in unwanted excess weight but also increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood stream, resulting in increased chances of heart attacks and heart related diseases.

 It is important to establish what fats you need to function and how to moderate the amount of fat you put into your body. There are actually good and bad fats, but distinguishing them can become confusing. But if you want to improve your health through your cooking then you need to avoid the bad fats or at least only eat or cook with them in very small amounts.

 Saturated fat: This fat increases cholesterol and therefore should be avoided if at all possible. Generally they are normally solid when they are at room temperature or refrigerated. This fat normally comes from animals and can be found in meat and dairy products like butter. Also some vegetable oils come into this category and they will include coconut or palm oils. When you cook, you should try to avoid cooking with these oils or at the very least only use them occasionally and or in very small amounts.

Unsaturated Fat: This type of fat generally comes in liquid form and when used in place of saturated fat can help lower your cholesterol, however even these fats which are termed as good fats should be used moderately. They still contain calories and therefore should not be used or eaten in excess. Some of the foods this type of fat can be found in are avocados, nuts and olives and also some fish like salmon and mackerel.

 As well as using small amounts of the good fats in your cooking, you should also look at alternative ways of cooking. Although it is not wise to eliminate fats from your diets you can reduce them dramatically by cooking your food differently. Although frying is favored in some dishes, you could also look at stir frying your foods using a small amount of olive oil. Also poaching, boiling and grilling is a good alternative and many dishes that call for meats and vegetables to be sealed can be grilled, including chicken, fish and vegetables.

 You should also invest in cooking utensils that are designed to help you make your cooking healthier and the anodized cooking sets that are available are perfect for cooking healthier dishes for you and your family.