Cooking Healthy

Six Simple Tips

This is part 4 of “Living a Detox Lifestyle”.

1. Clean Your Food

Thoroughly rinse all vegetables, lettuce, and greens before using. The use of vegetable and fruit “soap” is recommended to help removing pesticide residues. Grains should also be thoroughly rinsed before being cooked.

2. Cooking Vegetables

The best way to cook vegetables is to steam them. Boiling destroys their nutrient content. Be careful not to over cook them – you’ll destroy valuable enzymes as well as nutrients, vegetables should be a little crunchy, not soggy.

3. Cooking Meat

Ground meat, should be lean and always cooked to well done. Other meat cuts can be cooked to your preference, although medium or medium-rare better preserve nutrients.

4. Cooking Poultry

Remove the skin of all fowl before cooking. Use a thermometer when roasting to determine when poultry is done. Grill, roast or steam, never fry.

5. Cooking Fish

Fish may smell a bit like the sea, but never bad. Do not eat it if it does. Make sure fish is cooked all the way through.

6. Steaming Fish and Poultry

You can easily steam your fish and poultry in a stacking bamboo steamer. If you want to steam vegetables at the same time, put your fish or poultry on the bottom steamer and your vegetables on the top one. Vegetables usually cook faster, simply remove the top steamer and continue cooking the fish or chicken until done. You’ll be surprised at how tender and moist your food will be.

Avoid Cooking This Way

1. Frying

Broil, steam, bake grill, roast or saute instead.

Do not fry anything.

2. With Salt

Do not salt foods, at least until after they have been cooked. Use unbleached, crystal or sea salt.

3. With Microwave Ovens

Microwaving changes the chemical structure of your food. It’s not a form that is beneficial to your body.

4. With Aluminum

Aluminum is a highly toxic metal. Aluminum molecules enter food that is cooked, covered or stored in aluminum pots, cans or foil. Teflon coatings do not prevent aluminum for leaching into food.

5. Scrambling Eggs

Cooking scrambled eggs causes oxidation of the cholesterol contained in the yolks, making it a harmful substance. Poaching eggs is best, followed by boiling.

4. Raw

Unless you have a healthy digestive system, raw vegetables can be difficult to digest. Steaming is the best choice for the first month or two of a health therapy program. If you digest raw vegetables well, disregard this last suggestion.

For more information visit the NPR website. You'll find a vinegar wash formula for cleaning vegetables and fruit as well as other tips. Click Here.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider